Bird. — Lianes of the Ancient Forest of Canterbury Plains. 317 



floor for a distance of 5 m. The stems often attain a thickness of 3 cm. 

 in diameter, and are covered with a papery bark. At intervals along these 

 stems shoots arise, which may reach a support, or, failing this, they bend 

 over till they touch the ground, where they continue their growth. As these 

 shoots spread out in all directions, their branches are a considerable distance 

 apart, and thus it is almost impossible that none of them reach a support. 

 Roots arise in large numbers from these trailing-stems, and thus the food- 

 supply available for the shoots is largely increased. The value of these 

 roots may be seen from the fact that stems with roots attached which had 

 been cut through by the writer continued to live, and the roots gained enough 

 food-material from the soil to maintain in vigorous growth the shoots which 

 were given ofi near the roots. 



Shoots arising from the adult stem in the shade are very thin (.5 mm. 

 in diameter) and elongated (internodes are 7-8 cm. long). The stems 

 which straggle upwards through the supporting branches are mostly un- 

 branched, but maintain their upright position by twisting and turning 

 through the network of supporting branches, and finally may attain a height 

 of 4 m. The leaf-petioles are very thin and fragile, and thus, though they 

 project from the stem at right angles, cannot be of great assistance in 

 climbing. But where the plants grow in more strongly illuminated positions 

 the stems branch freely, and, as the branches project at right angles, they 

 are of prime importance in obtaining and maintaining new positions of 

 support. On the top of supporting shrubs, branches may stand erect for 

 fully 50 cm., but most of the branches lie horizontally on the support and 

 form a dense covering. Others, again, hang down from the edge of the 

 support, and thus the leaves of the plant are borne in all positions suitable . 

 for assimilation. 



In exposed situations the plants form dense, low bushes, about a metre 

 high, and usually 2-3 m. across. The primary stem gives off, near its base, 

 numerous branches, which spread out and branch further, the branches 

 interweaving and forming masses of the divaricating life-form. From the 

 tops of these masses stems may rise up, and by their mutual support gain 

 a height of a metre above the main mass of branches. And thus, should 

 they come into contact with the branches of any overhanging tree or shrub, 

 the liane-branches may push their way into the support, and there continue 

 their scrambling growth. Branches from these exposed plants at the edge 

 of the forest may trail along the ground, and, rooting freely, give off shoots 

 in the shade, where supports are abundant. And so efficient are these 

 roots that sometimes the attenuated shoot may give ofi near these roots 

 new shoots, which attain a thickness fully double that of the parent shoot. 



Fuchsia Colensoi is one of the few New Zealand indigenous plants which 

 are deciduous. Plants in exposed situations lose their leaves early in 

 winter, but in the shade they are devoid of leaves for only a few weeks. 



B. LEAP. 



(i.) Leaf -form. 



Leaves alternate, petiolate, thin, membranous ; upper surface pale green, 

 dull ; lower surface greyish-green, shiny ; veins purple ; 2-4 cm. long ; 

 orbicular or orbicular-ovate ; cordate or rounded at base ; minutely and 

 remotely serrate. Petioles usually slightly longer than blade, translucent, 

 upper surface slightly grooved. 



Sun leaves are slightly smaller and less membranous, and have shorter 

 petioles. 



