Cockayne. — Development of Seedlings. ' 87 



Description of Seedling. 



The thick fleshy hypocotyl is developed rapidly, at first 

 supine, then ascending with its upper portion. At the same 

 time the radicle makes quick growth, in many instances lying 

 on the surface of the ground for some time before the tip 

 bends down into the soil. The cotyledons remain in the 

 seed-coat absorbing the nutriment while hypocotyl and root 

 thus develope (see Plate VIII., fig. 5). Here they are 

 closely pressed together, with each lamina conduplicate. As 

 the laminae unfold the petioles lengthen, become erect, and 

 the laminae almost touch and are vertical; finally increasing 

 greatly in size, they separate and become horizontal. In the 

 meantime a slender stem has emerged from between the con- 

 nate petioles, at first straight and erect, then as development 

 proceeds twining slightly from right to left in its upper part, 

 and becoming furnished with leaves at first opposite, but 

 those later developed alternate. 



Cotyledons 10-5 mm. long x 10-5 mm. broad (exclusive of 

 petiole), oblong or rotund, emarginate or obcordate, soft, 

 rather dull-green on upper but paler on under surface ; margin 

 entire, except at apex, tapering just at base into petiole, the 

 margins here being slightly inclined upwards, and thus form- 

 ing continuation of the channel of petiole ; veins few, slightly 

 sunken (Plate VIII., fig. 4). 



Leaves alternate, obovate- or ovate-oblong, emarginate, 

 truncate at base, with very long petiole ; in other respects 

 similar to the cotyledons. 



Further development not yet seen. 



No. 81'2. Carmichaelia, sp. Plate VIII., figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 



The pod is 5 mm. long x 4 mm. broad, oblong, slightly 

 swollen, 2-75 mm. thick ; beak straight, stout, subulate, acute, 

 2 mm. long ; seeds very light greenish-brown mottled with black 

 spots, 2 usually, sometimes 3, in each pod. Seed collected from 

 one plant with pinnate leaves not unlike C. grandifiora, grow- 

 ing in complete shade on moist rocks in the gorge of the Eiver 

 Waiau, near the bridge to Hanmer. Sown 7th June, 1899; 

 germinated 23rd June, 1899 — sixteen days. 



Description of Seedling. 



Fig. 6 shows the earliest stage of development observed, 

 the hypocotyl and radicle being considerably developed before 

 the cotyledons have emerged from the seed-coat. Fig. 7 shows 

 a more advanced state of development, wdth ring of long hairs 

 at crown of hypocotyl for fixing plant to soil, also a few minute 

 hairs on the root. i\.t this point the cotyledons show a faint 

 sign of chlorophyll, and are issuing from the soil, but the hypo- 

 cotyl is still underground and quite pale in colour. 



