Cocka.tne. — Plants of Chatham Island. 295 



juvenile type make their appearance from any part of the 

 tree — indeed, it is uncommon to see a tree without these "re- 

 version shoots." 



Senecio huntii, second only in importance to Dracopliyllum 

 arboreum as a constituent of the tableland forest, grows to 

 about the same height as the latter. It has a stout erect 

 trunk, varying in thickness according to the size of the tree. 

 The trunk at a distance of lm., more or less, from the 

 ground divides, giving off two or more branches, which at 

 first spread out laterally, but finally bend upwards. These 

 branches divide again and again into smaller ones, which 

 always at first spread out laterally, the whole branch system 

 from beneath looking not unlike the ribs of a huge umbrella. 

 At the extremities of the branches are rosettes of leaves. 

 These consist usually of from twenty to twenty-four leaves in- 

 serted so closely together that the whole occupy 2 cm. or rather 

 more of the end of the branchlet on an average. In some cases, 

 however, the internodes are more greatly developed ; in the 

 most extreme case measured twenty-three leaves occupied a 

 space of 10 cm., while an opposite case gives twenty-seven 

 leaves for 2 cm. These ultimate branches are suffruticose, 

 and 2 cm. in diameter. The leaves themselves are lanceolate 

 and sessile, 12 cm. long by 3 - 5 cm. broad in the broadest part. 

 Their upper surface is pale, bright shining-green in colour, 

 except where covered by a thin pellicle of whitish cobwebby 

 tomentum. The under-surface is of a paler colour, being 

 greyish-green, and provided with numerous short glandular 

 hairs. The margins and adjacent portions of the leaves are 

 often more or less recurved, thus rendering the under-surface 

 of the leaf concave. So flexible is the leaf that it can be rolled 

 up into a spiral from apex to base without tearing or breaking 

 it in any way. On the under-surface of the leaf is a strong 

 keeled midrib, which is of great importance, since it serves to 

 maintain the rather flaccid blade in the best position with 

 regard !o the light. Each ultimate leaf-bearing or flower- 

 bearing branchlet increases in length until it has brought its 

 leafy portion side by side with the neighbouring rosettes of 

 leaves ; and in order to get its leaves into a suitable position 

 with regard to the light such a branchlet is often arched first 

 downwards and then upwards. Thus all the rosettes are 

 brought side by side, touching but not getting in the way of 

 each other, the whole leafy head of the tree having the form 

 of a half-globe. Seen at a distance, the foliage of S. huntii 

 forms a dense bluish hemispherical mass, which when in full 

 bloom exhibits leaves and bright-yellow flowers in an equal 

 proportion. The branches are extremely brittle, a sudden 

 snap quickly breaking them; but yet they are not easily broken 

 by the wind, their great weight of foliage notwithstanding, 



