Vegetation and flora of Womens Island, Foveaux Straft, New Zealand

Abstract

Womens Island of 8 ha, one of the muttonbird islands north-east of Stewart Island, has a flora of 44 native species of vascular plants plus 12 adventives. Its steep sides support several coastal communities: Poa astonii on rock headlands, P. foliosa on deep peat fringing sheltered clifftops, mats of Disphyma australe on cliffs with thin soil, and the last two species codominant over several other coastal herbs on exposed shores. Hebe elliptica scrub covers the north end, but low forest of Olearia angustifolia encircles the rest of the island. The gently sloping top is dominated by low Myrsine chathamica scrub, scattered O. × traillii, and dense ferns, especially Asplenium obtusatum and Phymatodes diversifolium. The Myrsine community, which may have resulted from a fire in about 1926, and the presence or absence of many plant species make Womens Island botanically distinct from nearby islands. The origin of O. × traillii is discussed.