OUT OF THE BEATEN TRACK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19695, 23 January 1926, Page 12

OUT OF THE BEATEN TRACK.

THE PLANTS OF EAPITI ISLAND. Written for the Otago Daily Times. - By A. S. WilkinsonThe first thing that struck roe on my first visit to Itapiti was the healthy appearance of the bush and different shades of green on the trees, ranging in colour from tile light lemon green of the kohepiro and tarata to the beautiful sap green of the puka and still darker green of the kanaka and manuka. Another striking tiling about the bush, on some parts of the sanctuary especially, is the great number of different species of trees to be found on a small area.. Thus, on the hill behind my cottage on an area of perhaps five acres, at least 20 different species of trees can be counted. As might be expected, most of them are seaside plants. With the exception of dead ratas, there is no very heavy timber, although at one time there must have been some big trees. One dead rata that I measured Kvas 35ft 4ins in girth, five feet from the ground, and one dead hinau went 21ft. These with an odd matai, miro and puke tea, comprise all the big timber. There is also a kokekohe here and there of considerable size, but the majority of them average about 2ft in diameter. Most of the original bush was burnt off vears ago, probably by the old whalers in the early days. On the ridges, and on some of the other parts, too, where Ibo original plan covering was destroyed, maocka has grown up, and amongst this can he seen the remains of burnt matai and moire logs measuring 3ft in diameter. Some of this manuka is so thick that it is impossible to traverse it without the aid of a slasher. Roughly about one-third of the island is, or was, in grass. At .the south end, where wild sheep were so abundant, the grass area is being gradually reduced by the daisy tree. A few years ago the island was over-run with goats, so of course most of the undergrowth is missing from a good many parts. There are a few of these animals still at large. The remaining goats have taken refuge on the inaccessible cliffs on the western side, and consequently the undergrowth on tlie opposite side of the island is showing signs of regeneration in many places. ... The western side is very precipitous.— in some places there are huge cliffs 1000 ft high. There is no vegetation on these cliffs to speak of, except tauhinu principally and a few taupata trees where the goats have been unable to get. These rocky faces were at one time covered in places with vegetation, and traces of timber can still be seen, consequently, on ffho disappearance of the bush, and through goats continually running about the miffs for years, most of the face is slipping and erosion is fast taking place. This ’"'ill go on until the plant covering is re-estab-lished when on© . lished. When one considers the handicap the island has laboured under, what with cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and deer running about and eating the vegetation, to eay nothing of the damage wrought by the fire and the axe. it is really wonderful that the island is so good as it is. The forest of Kapiti seems to possess wonderful I'ecuperative priwers. Even, during the short period of my _ residing here, I have noticed a great difference. In December last I planted a whau (entelia arboresceus) in front of my cottage. It was then about 12ins high. At the present time (December 1) it is oft high with a corresponding spread of branches. Except for a few taupata trees along the shore most of the coastal fringe has been destroyed. This is probably due to the shepherds chopping down the edge of the bush when the island was formerly used as a sheep station, so that sheep could bo driven from one part to another. Young taupatas are springing up along the shore in many places. This is one of the most interesting trees on the island, and at the same time one of the most useful Not cnlv does it provide an abundance of food for the birds in season, but it will grow an where, in sand, clay, or even on bar rocks. It seems to thrive on sea air. This tree will play an important part in preventing erosion, by re-establish-Ln< r the coastal fringe on many different and difficult places. The island is 1700 ft high, and the bush near the top may be termed rain forest. It is raining there when we have none at sea level, and this is reflected in the luxuriant growth of ferns, mosses, etc. On one side of a o-ully near the top, is a beautiful sir-ray of tree ferns, mostly Gyathea medulans, and scattered about amongst them is Cun niri'diam’s daisy tree. This particular patch of bush was a beautiful signt last month, when the olearia was in full bloom, ■V few small patches of fern (Ptons aquiina) are to be found, but no swamps of anv t v 'ct'Gntf. A-t WhciTckoliu xic-cir tn? south end, there was a fair sized swamp which had been drained, but by whom 1 have been unable to discover. The work is generally credited to the old whalers, but as a man named Brown (Wharexohu is sometimes called Browns Bay) had a sheep station there after the w-halers left, I ara inclined to think that lie was responsible for the work. The drain is about Bft deep and 6ft wide, built up on both sides with stones. The work is about three chains long, and the walls are nearly as good to-day aa when they were built. Traces of the old whaling days can be seen in the presence of two trying-out pots and remains of old camp chimneys in Wharekohu. The vegetation in the swamp near the old whaling station is mainly composed of cutting grass (carex virgata) with some care— secta and a single cabbage tree. The cabbage tree |was most likely planted by some person. There is also a small swamp at Rongitira near my cottage. It contains numerous plants ot different species with raupo (typha angustipolia) and phormium tenax predominating. Scattered amongst the grass and rushes near this swamp the lovely little Wahlenbergia gracilis delights the eye for the best part of the summer months. Along the shore on the rocks and cliffs the pretty white flax (limum monogynum) adds a charm to the natural rock garden. On some of the ridges quite close to the sea the pretty libertia ixodes makes a nice, show with its snow-white, three-pet-allad flowers. Batches of the small daisy (lagenophora forsteri), together 'with the equally pretty arthropodium candidum, brighten up the path through the hush in many places. Some of the rocks just above high water mark present a moat beautiful sight with the horokoka, or ic© plant hanging over them. The horokaka is now in full bloom and associated with it is one of the small aenecios covered with bright yellow flowers. On one particular rook there is a gull (lama dominiscanus) sitting on three eo-o-s, and on one side of her is the ice plant covered with pink flojwers, while close to it the yellow of the senecio blends with the brown of the rock and varying greens of the leaves, the whole displaying to the nature lover a most, beautiful picture. On another part of the island are found patches of the auricula-like plant eras podia uniflora, now in flower. On rocks amongst the bush the succulent herb peperomia urvilliana is plentiful. The orchid family is well represented with about live different species, pteroslylis banksii being the commonest. Kapiti lias a good number of ferns; about 20 different genera being represented. Perhaps the most interesting is loma.ria filiformis, {which exhibits such a difference between the juvenile and adult forms. The kidney fe-rn (tuchomaaros riniforroe) is not very plentiful and is seen only on the trunks of trees near the summit of the island. It may have been plentiful before the herbivorous animals were introduced. Some of the rates have their trunks and branches covered with this and the filmy ferns. Climbing plants are fairly numerous, with three species of clematis, the useful passion fruit (tetrapathaea tetraiidra), the kaiwiria (parsonsia hoterophylla), several climbing ratas, the hush convolvulus (calystigia tuguriorum), and the pretty pink shore convolvulus (c. soldanalla). The kiokie (treycinetia banksii) is fairly well scattered all through the original hush, but. as goats are fond of it, it is not very robust "except where the goat were destroved a few years ago.