•92 Tr ansae tions. — Botany. 



if grown in a moist atmosphere, will develope compound 

 leaves, and in appearance approach G. grandijiora. 



The rapid germination of the seeds of all the species of 

 Carmichaelia is of interest, since it is only by very rapid 

 germination that multiplication of the species by means of 

 seeds would be possible, growing, as most do, ni dry localities, 

 where the ground could never remain wet, near and on the 

 surface, for a sufficiently long period to permit a slow germina- 

 tion. In connection with this the length of time that many 

 Carmichaelias retain their seeds in the pods on the plants, 

 from the summer of one year to the spring of the next, gives a 

 chance for some of the seeds to fall to the ground just at the 

 season of the year — late winter and early spring — most suit- 

 able for their germination. 



o^ 



No. 700. Discaria toumatou, Eaoul. Plate IX.. figs. 19, 



20, 21, 22. 



Seed collected from one plant growing on sand-dunes in 

 neighbourhood of New Brighton, Canterbury. Sown 18th 

 January, 1899 ; germinated from 1st August until 2nd Sep- 

 tember, 1899. 



Description of Seedling. 



Early development : The cotyledons remain for a consider- 

 able time within the seed-coat absorbing nutriment, while the 

 hypocotyl and root develope rapidly, together attaining a length 

 •of 42 mm. (fig. 19). At the same time the hypocotyl slowly 

 grows upwards, rising arching out of the ground, the cotyle- 

 dons still being subterranean, and with their upper surfaces 

 closely pressed together. As the hypocotyl becomes stronger 

 its elasticity overcomes the resistance of the soil, and the 

 ■cotyledons are pulled out of the ground, enclosed or not as 

 the case may be, in the seed-coat; next the aerial portion of 

 the hypocotyl becomes erect, the cotyledons open out, and the 

 leaves just become visible to the naked eye. As these increase 

 in size the first internode lengthens rapidly, reaching by the 

 time the 2nd pair of leaves are appearing a length of 10 mm. 

 or more. The young leaves are conditplicate in the bud, and 

 each with its juicy glandular stipules protects the enclosed 

 younger leaves and growing-point of the shoot. 



Seedling plant 4-3 cm. high, thirty days old, with cotyle- 

 dons and two pairs of decussate leaves, 



Hypocotyl (above grounti) iOmm. long, terete, glabrous, 

 woody, pink on lower and green on upper half. 



Cotyledons obovate-oblong, 825 nun. long x o-o mm. broad 

 (at first 3-5 mm. x 2-25 mm.), succulent, pale-green, obscurely 

 5-nerved, entire, obtuse, petiolate with very short petioles, 

 which are connate at base. 



1st pair of leaves 9 mm. long x 4 mm. broad, with short 



