THE STORY OF SOME CO}]}] OX PLANTS. 147 



Like the flax and cabbage-tree, the manuka grows equally well on 

 faces of rocks, in swamps, and on dunes, while in the Hot-lakes District 

 it occupies a more inhospitable station still the ground charged 

 with chemicals near the boiling pools ; in fact, few plants can so 

 adapt themselves to varying circumstances an important matter 

 when one is concerned with the origin of species. As an example, 

 it may be mentioned that on the central mountains of Stewart Island, 

 where the wind blows with an almost incredible velocity, the manuka 

 has changed its habit altogether, and, instead of being an upright shrub, 

 lies prostrate upon the ground, as a far-spreading mat, its branches 

 even near their apices putting out roots and fastening it to the soil. 

 So different is this from the usual habit of the plant that one could 

 hardly believe it to belong to the same species, were it not for the f act- 

 that all kinds of intermediate wind-shorn stages exist within a few 

 feet of one another (fig. 62). 



Besides L. scoparium, there are at least two other species in New 

 Zealand one, the tree-manuka or kanuka, a common plant enough ; 

 and the other, L. Sindairii, only recorded hitherto from the Three 

 Kings and the Great Barrier Island. The tree-manuka is distinguished 

 from the commoner species by its larger size and its smaller stalked 

 flowers, which are crowded together in great profusion, while the latter 

 has larger, unstalked, solitary flowers. Both are very variable ; but 

 the most interesting varieties are those of the common manuka, which 

 exhibit more or less red in their petals. Some are actually bright 

 crimson, at least four such having been found, according to the author's 

 knowledge, in the wild state. 



These crimson varieties make beautiful garden plants. One. 

 called by gardeners L. Chapmani, has been in cultivation for many 

 years. Another, also with a garden name (L. NicJioUsii), of more vivid 

 crimson, is still handsomer. This, although introduced only a year 

 or two ago, has already become established in a few English gardens, 

 and is perhaps better known there than in its native land. 



None of these red varieties seem to come absolutely " true ' from 

 seed, so they must be grown from cuttings, which unfortunately do 

 not root readily. The red colour is present not only in the flowers, 

 but extends to the leaves, which in all these races of manuka are more 

 or less of a purple hue. 



