30 NEW ZEALAND PLAX'J'S. 



(F. excorticata), offers a transition to the scrambling habit, being 

 frequently merely a shrub, and at other times a true liane, its thin 

 shoots being thrust amongst the branches of another tree for their 

 support. Here there is no special differentiation of climbing-organs ; 

 but in the various species of Rubus it is different. On their leaf- 

 stalks and midribs these have developed special curved hooks for 

 climbing purposes, which grip so tenaciously whatever they touch 

 that they have earned for these plants the sarcastic term of " lawyer." 

 Frequently the leaf-blades are much reduced in size, and the midribs 

 are elongated, so that the leaf is changed in function, and has become 

 a special climbing-apparatus. In New Zealand there are several 

 species of Rubus, which differ considerably in shape of leaf, size of 

 flower, and colour of fruit, the commonest and the one with the 

 largest leaves and most showy flow r ers being R. australis. One of the 

 commonest root climbers, which with its leathery, green, sword-like 

 leaves much affects the physiognomy of northern forests, is the kiekie 

 (Freycinctia Banksii), whose fleshy bracts, called "tawhara" by the 

 Maoris, are sweet and edible. The roots fasten the plant very firmly 

 to the support, being given off at right angles or thereabouts to the 

 stiff climbing-stem, and, passing right round the support if slender, 

 finally put forth many rootlets, which are parallel, or nearly so, 

 to the main roots, and close together. 



The various species of climbing - ratas cling most closely when 

 young by means of numerous short roots to the tree-trunks, their 

 leaves more or less flattened against the bark, but finally, as the stems 

 become cord-like, or rope-like, the roots wither away. For the dif- 

 ferent species the Maoris had the general name " aka." so scientific 

 names here are alone available. Metrosideros florida, the giant of the 

 group, has cable-like stems, sometimes 6 in. or more in diameter, 

 covered with loose bark. It bears splendid scarlet flowers. M. albi- 

 flora, M. scandens, M. Colensoi, and M. hypefficifolia have white flowers, 

 or, in the case of the two latter, pinkish. The last-named is the most 

 common, being found in both the main Islands and Stewart Island, 

 growing not only on trees but also on the ground. M. fJ iff lisa, is a, 

 strictly northern plant, as is also M. albiflot'd, which with its most 

 beautiful rosy-crimson flowers easily takes precedence over its rela- 

 tions when in full bloom. With one exception the climbing-ferns are 

 also root climbers : e.y., the climbing-polypody ( Polypodium Billardieri), 

 whose leathery, dark-green, broad loaves, most diverse in form, are to 



