GREAT VARIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 221, 26 September 1938, Page 9

GREAT VARIETY.

NEW ZEALAND TREE SPECIES. CONSERVATOR'S ADDRESS. Apart from the trees peculiar to the high mountains, the New Zealand forest, as a whole, is composed of about 38v species, which belong to 62 families and 150 genera, said Mr. R. D. Campbell, conservator of State forests, in an address under the auspices of the Auckland Botanical Society at the Auckland War Memorial Museum yesterday afternoon. The address was given in conjunction with the Cheeseman Memorial native spring flower show, which attracted approximately 3006 people during the week-end. . A large attendance was presided over by Dr. Cyril H. Tew-ley. chairman of the executive of the so; iety. There were 91 ferns and their allies, while seed plants numbered 290, Mr. Campbell continued. Nearly 90 per cent of the species, apart from the ferns, belonged to New Zealand alone, although many were considered to be directly descended from tropical forbears. Among the,, many common forest species that belonged to the latter class were the kaur!, nikau, palm, kiekie, pittosporums and ratas. A large portion of the forest had been destroyed, Mr. Pampb<-1] went on, but there was. nevertheless, sufficient left to indicate the original vast tree covering of New Zealand in primeval st'itc. Ranging from the purely tropical to subAntarctic rain type, the forests were far from uniform in composition. Latitudinal and altitudinal changes, proximity to the sea and increase of water in the soil were the main factors influencing composition. There were several instances of clearly defined , belts of trees which halted abruptly at certain latitudes and altitudes, said the speaker. Such trees as the kauri, pohntukawa arid puriri seemed to halt at a line a little south of East Cape and north of New Plymouth: fhe true South Island forests began fr.-.in a line across Wellington. Nelson and Marlborough, and these extended to Stewart Island. The class of forests near the aea was distinct from the ordinary lowl/.nd type, Mr. Campbell concluded. Especially was the difference noticeable in the density of the forest roof. There were only ITo sub-alpine varieties, mostly beeches, and in swamp lands a distinct type of forest was established, consisting chiefly of white pine.