Kikk. — On New Zealand Fuchsias. 263 



cata the flowers are sometimes aggregated on very short 

 branchlets, with undeveloped internodes. They further agree 

 in having deep-blue dry pollen, bound together with extremely 

 delicate threads, which are slightly viscid,* and penetrate the 

 mass in all directions, so that the pollen-grains readily adhere 

 to the feathers of birds which frequent the trees for the sake 

 of the honey afforded by the flowers. f 



It will now be convenient to describe the general structure 

 of the different forms of flowers produced by each species. 



Fuchsia excorticata, L. fil. 



In this species the flowers are pendulous, and at first of a 

 deep-purple colour blotched with green ; ultimately they assume 

 a dull-red tint. Immediately above the ovary the calyx-tube 

 is dilated in a globular form, then suddenly constricted, when 

 it becomes funnel-shaped ; the limb is divided into four acute 

 spreading lobes ; the tube is marked externally by eight more 

 or less elevated ridges, caused by the insertion of the fila- 

 ments ; the deep violet-coloured petals are very small, and 

 alternate with the segments of the calyx. The introrse anthers 

 are carried on rigid but very delicate filaments, which vary in 

 length even in the same flower, and are attached to the anthers 

 in an obliquely-peltate manner. The stigma is globose, mi- 

 nutely papillose, and obscurely four-lobed on the upper sur- 

 face. 



Three principal forms of flower may be observed, but each 

 plant produces a single form only. The different forms may 

 be described as under : — 



1. The Long-styled Form. — In this form the flower is 

 slightly smaller than either the mid- or short-styled forms. 

 The style is fully twice the length of the calyx-tube, but the 

 filaments are so extremely short that at first sight the anthers 

 appear to be sessile, and in some instances are partially in- 

 cluded in the calyx-tube. The pollen-grains when present are 

 yellow, and almost invariably abortive. The petals are very 

 small, and often contorted. 



2. The Mid-styled Form. — The style is much shorter than 

 in the previous form, being about one and a half times the 



* This character is exhibited by several South American species — 

 probably by all. 



t The chief agents in effecting fertilisation in F. excorticata are the 

 tui (Prosthemadcra novce-zcalandice), the bell-bird (Anthomis melanura), 

 and, in the extreme north, the stitch-bird (Pogonornis cincta). I suspect 

 that the parrakeets Platyccrcus novce-zealandia, and P. auriceps assist in 

 the process ; the white-eye (Zosterops lateralis), and in some cases the 

 naturalised sparrow, although not honey-feeders, certainly render assist- 

 ance, as the blue pollen-grains are frequently found on their feathers : 

 they doubtless frequent the tree in search of insects, while the tui, the 

 bell-bird, and the stitch-bird are attracted by the honey. 



