276 Transactions. — Botany. 



The seed was sown on the 20th August, 1900 ; it germi- 

 nated on the 27th September, and by the 1st November the 

 tallest plant was 2-25 cm. in height, with the lamina of its 

 1st leaf just opened out. 



Description of Seedling. 



Boot slender, pale, very easily broken, about 25 mm. long 

 in plant 16 mm. tall. 



Hypocotyl 18 mm. long, glabrous and pale for lower quar- 

 ter, green and hairy on upper three-quarters, with hairs pro- 

 jecting horizontally ; terete, erect. 



Cotyledons rotund, entire for lower half of margin, with 

 remainder of margin lobed, in one instance merely crenate ; 

 ciliated with hairs similar to those on hypocotyl, palmately 

 5-nerved, with nerves near base rather obscure ; green on 

 upper and paler on under surface, horizontal or with apices 

 bent slightly downwards; lamina 9mm. x 9mm., or not 

 quite so broad ; petiole channelled, but not deeply, on upper 

 surface, rounded on under-surface, 3 mm. long, hairy. 



Plants collected in Chatham Islands by Mr. Cox. The 

 tallest examined was 15 - 5cm. tall and the smallest 6 - 5cm., 

 with four persistent leaves and four leaf-scars, the lowest 

 leaf therefore being the 5th seedling leaf. 



Stem (in smallest plant) rather thicker at base than above,, 

 brown, slightly pubescent with stellate hairs, especially in 

 youngest portion. 



5th leaf shallowly 3-lobed, with the lobes deeply and 

 coarsely crenate, petiolate; lamina 15 mm. x 15 mm. in 

 broadest part, broadly ovate, truncate at base (fig. 17), bright 

 pale-green, ciliated with short pale-coloured hairs, palmately 

 5-nerved, with ultimate veins much reticulating ; petiole 

 12 mm. long, forming angle of 45° with stem, terete, pale, 

 pubescent with stellate hairs. 



Other leaves (figs. 18, 19, 20) very similar to above, but 

 cordate at base, and often with hairs on upper surface. 



Upper portion of stem green, stipules well developed, es- 

 pecially those at the growing-point, which are of full size 

 much before the leaf is developed fully. 



Stipules 3 mm. x 1*5 mm., linear, brown, acute, hairy, 

 soon wither. 



Leaves on older plants very similar to those already 

 described, of average size of 16mm. x 17 mm. in broadest 

 part, truncate or cordate at base, often obscurely 3-lobed. 



Later leaves on plant 155cm. tall 30mm. x 30mm. in 

 broadest part, cordate, tapering towards apex ; petiole 30 mm. 

 Other features as before (fig. 18). 



The similarity of appearance in form between the seedling 

 and adult leaves of Plagianthvs betulinus of the Chatham 



