88 Transactions. — Botany. 



Eoot straight, deeply descending, 9 cm. long on plant 2 cm. 

 high. 



Hypocotyl fleshy, thicker than stem. 



Cotyledons obovate, sometimes falcate, thick, entire, glab- 

 rous, with short thick stout petioles connate at base. 



1st leaf variable in size, from 6 mm. long x 6-5 mm. broad 

 (excluding petiole) to 9 mm. long x 9 mm. broad, rotund or 

 ovate-rotund, emarginate, sometimes with apiculus in sinus, 

 rounded cuneate or truncate at base, with a few white bristly 

 hairs especially on midrib and under-surface ; midrib evident 

 on under-surface of leaf, obscure on upper surface ; petiole 

 three-quarters the length of lamina, channelled above, articu- 

 lated to midrib and stem. 



2nd leaf similar to 1st ; in many of the plants now about 

 four months old not yet fully developed. 



3rd and 4th leaves not yet nearly fully developed on most 

 plants. 



Colour of leaves : Some green throughout, except for 

 purplish-brown margin ; others dark purple-brown on upper 

 surface; others dark-brown blotched with lighter brown. 



Stems wiry, rather stout, terete, flexuous, upright or 

 bending towards ground at first, channelled, swollen at nodes, 

 sparsely hairy below, with few white bristles, which are 

 much more abundant on growing-point and youngest leaves. 



Stipules small, triangular, in axil of leaf. 



The seedlings vary considerably in size and colour of leaves, 

 some of which are very curiously variegated with large blotches 

 of paler colour. Most of the leaves are of similar shape, but some 

 are much more narrow, with a deep sinus at the apex (fig. 10). 

 The rapid development of the root while the seed is yet within 

 its seed-coat is of great importance to secure a sure water-supply 

 in stony ground, and to fix the plant firmly by the time the wind 

 can have an effect. In the plants examined the leaves are all 

 bent sideways a little from the horizontal. This, perhaps, would 

 not be so in a state of nature, and may be owing to their arti- 

 ficially grown position, and be simply heliotropic curvature. 



Pseudopanax chathamica, T. Kirk. Plate*IX., figs. 11, 12, 



13, 14, 15, 23, 24. 



Seedlings collected and sent alive by Mr. Cox from Chat- 

 ham Islands. 



Description of Seedling. 



Hypocotyl pale in colour, shining, glabrous, terete, woody 

 stout. 



Cotyledons 1-15 cm. long x 6 mm., oblong, entire, per- 

 sistent for a long time, rather thick and coriaceous ; midrib 

 ■usually obscure ; petioles semierect, thick and rather coria- 

 ceous, channelled above, swollen and connate at base. 



