Cockayne. — Development of Seedlings. 273 



The seeds of Gaya ribifolia are ripe about the end of 

 April, the plant having bloomed at the end of January and 

 the beginning of February. They are almost invariably at- 

 tacked by the larva of some insect, so that sometimes it is 

 almost impossible to procure good seed. The carpels when 

 ripe fall from the trees, under which quantities of seedling 

 plants are often to be found. This leads to the occurrence of 

 the plants usually in small clumps, with the trees close to- 

 gether, for, under ordinary circumstances, a seed will not get 

 far from its parent tree, nor, if it did so, would it grow so 

 easily and thrive as under the friendly shade. The western 

 plant, on the other hand, forms much larger colonies, since 

 those of its seeds which fall away from the protection of the 

 parent have a much better chance to germinate in the moister 

 western climate. The large cotyledons will be of great service 

 in providing a food-supply for the quick growth of the root. 

 One of the seedling plants had three cotyledons, and it is 

 worthy of remark that this one developed more rapidly than 

 did some others with normal cotyledons which germinated at 

 the same time. 



According to Sir Julius von Haast, Mr. T. Kirk,* and 

 others, Gaya lyallii is said to be deciduous at above 3,000 ft., 

 and an evergreen at below that altitude. I have always 

 much doubted that statement, but cannot as yet entirely dis- 

 prove it. A tree of Gaya lyallii in my garden regularly loses 

 its leaves, though some do not fall at times before the end of 

 winter. Gaya ribifolia in the garden of Dr. A. Dendy, on the 

 Port Hills, where it enjoys a much milder winter than in the 

 lower mountain region, also loses its leaves. A plant in Mr. 

 S. D. Barker's garden, originally from the Kaikoura Moun- 

 tains, loses its leaves, and also seems to come into leaf later 

 than the common type. Seedling plants in both greenhouse 

 and shade-house are certainly deciduous. I fancy the idea 

 of the plant remaining evergreen must have arisen from 

 observers having seen trees late in autumn or early in winter 

 still more or less leafy, but it may be possible that in the 

 West Coast Sounds and similar regions the plant may be 

 evergreen. However, this is for future observers to decide. 



Plagianthus betulinus, A. Cunn. Plate X., figs. 11, 12, 

 13, 14, 15. 



The young plants from which the description below was 

 drawn up were growing under a parent tree, where the seed 

 had fallen, in the Christchurch Botanic Garden, and were 

 kindly given me for the purposes of this paper by Mr. A. L. 

 Taylor. The leaves figured of the semi-shrubby form of this 



* " Handbook," pp. 30, 31 ; " Forest Flora," p. 279. 

 18 



