296 Transactions. — Botany. 



laterally, and are at junction of lamina 10 mm. apart. At this 

 stage from between the cotyledons the 1st leaf is in course of 

 development, not erect, but arching laterally, and with the two 

 side leaflets closely pressed together near its apex. Following 

 the development of the leaf, the petiole grows much more 

 rapidly than the lamina. This at a very early stage of 

 development is about the same length as the petiole, its 

 lateral leaflets pressed closely together. As development pro- 

 ceeds and the petiole lengthens it becomes curved at its upper 

 end, often forming an arch, the lamina being bent inwards 

 and downwards like the numeral " 2" (fig. 38), and with the 

 apex of its terminal leaflet approached more or less near to 

 the base of the petiole. Growth proceeding, the petiole gradu- 

 ally straightens, until by the time the lamina has expanded it 

 is quite straight. After growth of forty-four days the coty- 

 ledons attained a length (including petiole) of 36 cm., and the 

 1st leaf a length of 231cm., with lamina 6mm. and petiole 

 2'25 cm. While this development of cotyledons and leaf is 

 proceeding, the root, in an early stage pale and translucent, 

 has now become a deeply descending thick tap-root con- 

 taining an abundance of food-material, which has been here 

 stored up at the expense of rapid growth and development of 

 stem and leaves. After about two and a half months' growth 

 the roots are out of the bottom of the pot, 92 cm. in depth, in 

 which the seed was sown, and are from 1 mm. to 1-5 mm. in 

 diameter above. The 2nd leaf issues from the protecting 

 sheath at the base of the 1st leaf, and undergoes the same pro- 

 cess of development as the 1st leaf. 



Boot very long and tapering, finally extremely thick and 

 stout, with numerous lateral rootlets. 



Hypocotyl 3 mm. above ground in largest plants, short, 

 stout, glabrous, very pale yellowish-green, often stained with 

 purple. 



Cotyledons linear or extremely narrow linear-lanceolate, 

 sometimes falcate, green on both surfaces, entire, subacute or 

 obtuse, glabrous, + 4-5 cm. in length, with lamina tapering 

 into and about equalling petiole; lamina 2mm. broad; petiole 

 brownish or brownish-red, very obscurely channelled, connate, 

 and forming a short sheath at base. 



1st and 2nd leaves radical, + 4-8 cm. long, ternate or 

 palmately trifid, glabrous, green on both surfaces or some- 

 times stained purple ; leaflets and segments narrow-obovate, 

 lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, .entire or with from one to 

 three teeth at apical end, 14 mm. x 5 mm. or of considerably 

 smaller size, acute, 1-nerved. 



Liqusticum filifolium grows on shingle-slips, usually on 

 such as occur in the dry lower mountain region of the South 

 Island of New Zealand, although specimens may be occasion- 



