T. Kirk. — Oji Dactylanthus taylori. 497 



appearance of true root-parasitisin, so far as caube determined 

 without the destruction of the specimen ; the same is to be 

 seen in a specimen from Nuhaka which I exhibit to-night. At 

 the same time, there can be no question that, as the woody 

 rhizome extends over the surface of a large root, it adapts itself 

 to the contour of the root without developing new organs of 

 attachment — at least, in certain instances, probably in all. 



On the other hand, I exhibit a young specimen the rhizome 

 of which forms a small disc, scarcely exceeding lin. in dia- 

 meter and fin. in thickness ; a tortuous woody root appears 

 to have developed directly from the centre of the lower surface 

 of the disc, and has attained a total length of Gin. or Tin. 

 There is a very regular expansion of the supposed root up- 

 wards at the junction with the rhizome, and with our present 

 knowledge it does not seem possible that this can have been 

 produced by parasitism. For the present I hesitate to inter- 

 fere with this root in any way until further specimens of a 

 similar character can be obtained, when careful dissection of 

 the point from w^hich it is given ofi", and a microscopical exami- 

 nation of its structure, will doubtless throw light upon the 

 subject. I have little doubt that specimens of this kind are 

 more frequent than might be expected. 



Mr. Hill assures me of his conviction that the plant is 

 truly parasitic for the whole term of its existence, and that it 

 never developes ti-ue roots. If we may suppose that it is at 

 first parasitic and onlypioduces true roots after attaining a 

 certain stage of development, we have exactly the reverse of 

 what takes place in sucli plants as Cuscuta, the i-adicle of 

 which forms a true earth-root immediately after germination ; 

 but as soon as the stem produces haustella, which enable it 

 to absorb the assimilated juice of some other plant, the root 

 perishes. The process would be closely analogous to that 

 exhibited by the native sandalwood {Fusanus cunninghaviii), 

 and the "eye-bright" {Euphrasia cuneata), &c., the roots of 

 which become attached to those of other plants, and for a 

 time at least absorb the chief portion of their nourishment in 

 an elaborated condition. The facts, however, are still obscure, 

 and much has to be done before the difficulties surrounding 

 the subject can be properly cleared up. My only excuse for 

 again drawing attention to Dactylanthus, while still unable to 

 make any material addition to our knowledge of such an 

 interesting organism, must be the hope I entertain that by 

 this means the assistance of observers favourably situated for 

 examining the plant in the living state may be more readily 

 obtained. 



.92 



