NEW ZEALAND TREES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 242, 13 October 1931, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND TREES

TWO TYPES OF FOREST UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS MELANESIAN ASSOCIATIONS The main characteristics of the two predominant types of forest in New Z aland and short descriptions of the most common trees in *he North Island bush were detailed by Mr T. L. Lancaster, lecturer in botany at the Auckland University College, at a recent luncheon meeting of the Auckland Rotary Club. Mr Lancaster stated tLat ' the North Island the native forest, or what was usually known as the “bush,” was a type of growth which was unique, as it comprised sub-tropical vegetation in a temperate country. The forest, which contained such tropical plants <• tree-ferns and palms, was dense and •• o-th was com nosed of massed creepers and climbing plants, while the trees were laden with mosses. In other temperate countries, such as in Erope and similar parts of North America, the forest was more open. The tropical character of the hush, which grew less in the southern parts of the Dominion, showed that. New Zea land had once been joined by land to Melanesia. There had been no con nection with Australia recently—speak ing geologically and botanieally—as encalypta, acacia.- and other plants which were indigeneous to Australia did not exist in the Dominion. Moro than 90 per cent, of the native trees of New Zealand were confined to this country, while the smaller trees and shrubs were also almost al! unique.

threequarters of the total flora of the country being of a type not found elsewhere. The second type of forest, which was of the sub-Antarctic type, was the beech forest, commonly known as the birch forest. No birches were found in New Zealand, although ther were six species of beeches, which were similar to those found in Chile and Patagonia. The beech forests were almost entirely confined to the South Island, although a few beeches were to be seen near Auckland, including several at Chelsea, at Titirangi and in the llunua Ranges. Whereas in the northern tropical forests the types of trees were very varied, in the southern forests beeches predominated. In conclusion, Mr Lancaster . dealt I with the kauri and rata trees. The kauri, he said, was a member of a small genus, of which only six species were found scattered all over Melanesia. The Dominion variety was confined to the Auckland province, and the so-called Australian kauri was not a Ikauri at all. The kauri de vol oped to an | immense size, the trunk or barrel con I taining a great amount of mMlable tini- . ber. i The largest kauri ever measured was • a tree at Mercury Bay, which was 72ft. iin circumference. Although there were a number of huge trees on the Pacific [coast, none had yielded more timber [than lhe kauri, as the American trees tapered off swiftly.