342 Transactions. 



the support is made. The growth is slow, and in the limited time at the 

 writer's disposal a careful investigation of the species has been impossible, 

 nor is Riccarton Bush suitable for such a study. The greatest height of 

 observed specimens is 10 m. 



4. MUEHLENBECKIA AUSTRALIS. 



Seedlings of this species are common throughout all parts of the forest, 

 and in many places form more than 50 per cent, of the forest-floor vegetation. 

 They are able to grow erect for 40 cm., and if the growing-point is injured 

 a lateral shoot arises and continues the upward growth and twines round 

 any suitable object with which it comes into contact. The twining is 

 usually sinistrorse, but the common occurrence of dextrorse twining seems 

 to indicate that the direction is at least partly due to the manner of contact 

 with the support. The stems cannot twine round any support which is more 

 than 5 cm. in diameter. 



After the seedling reaches the top of the support it continues to grow 

 erect for a short distance, and then bends down, until finally the growing 

 apex, which continues to point upwards, comes into contact with the more 

 proximal hanging portion of the same shoot. It then commences to twine 

 round this, but the behaviour does not seem to aid in reaching a new sup- 

 port. But lateral shoots may rise from the hanging shoot, and these, by 

 projecting out, as they do, for 40 cm., often reach an adjacent support. 



In the largest number of seedlings two or more often come early into 

 contact, and by supporting each other can reach a height of 70 cm. or 

 more, and thus have a better opportunity of coming into contact with a 

 support. If no support is reached the seedlings sink to the ground ; but 

 vet, through their elongation, they may ultimately reach some support. 

 From the prostrate stems lateral shoots stretch up, and by their ascent 

 in a position difierent from that of the primary shoot a support is often 

 reached. Many of these lateral shoots arising in autumn have vigorous 

 growth, and unaided can reach a height of 65 cm. In stations with little 

 undergrowth the branching stems form a reticulation on the forest-floor 

 in the same manner as those of M. complexa ; but in M. australis these 

 reticulations are seldom more than 1 m. across. They are, however, far 

 denser, and often form compact masses Avitli an effective display of foliage. 



5. MUEHLENBECKIA COMPLEXA. 



Seedlings of this species are most numerous in the vicinity of adult 

 plants i.e., in the outskirts of the forest and near the forest-margin. 



In the forest they grow erect for 30 cm., and upon touching a support 

 they commence to twine. In the absence of a support they bend over 

 to the grovmd, and trail along the forest-floor. These trailing-stems root 

 freely at the nodes, and often attain a length of 5 m. From any of the 

 nodes lateral shoots may rise up, and should these reach no support they 

 bend over to the ground, where they continue their growth. By a repetition 

 of branching the plants thus soon form a loose reticulation on the forest- 

 floor, and, unless the floor here is very bare, shoots from the network of stemr, 

 will sooner or later reach a support. Indeed, it more often happens that 

 a single liane-seedling reaches numerous supporting young plants. Again, 

 it is common for any two shoots to come into contact ; these then twine 

 round each other, and by their mutual support they grow to a greater height 

 than can a single shoot, and thus have greater opportunity of reaching a 

 support. 



