Hill. — Dactylantims Taylori. 439 



smell of the flowers in bloom was very sweet. It has been found by Mr. 

 Frank Hutchinson at Hawkestone and Patoka, in the Puketitiri country ; 

 and I have found many specimens at Kunanga and Opepe, in the Taupo 

 plateau country. 



During the past ten years the Dactylanthus has been under fairly close 

 observation by me, and the following notes are the result of inquiries made 

 with living and dead specimens. The specimens in my possession, both wet 

 and dry, are of various sizes. In every instance the rhizome is terminal in 

 respect to the particular portion of the root on which it is found (Plate XXX, 

 fig. 1). Panax and Pittosporum are the only two kinds of trees upon the roots 

 of which it can be stated with certainty that the parasites grow. The ends 

 of the most delicate roots are selected by the parasite. Here a swelling 

 appears, having the appearance of a small wart on the human hand. This 

 is very marked in the smaller specimens, where the host portion can be 

 distinguished from the growing rhizome of the parasite by a smoother surface, 

 a different swelling, and a difference of colour. The swelling at the end of 

 a root host looks as if the tissues had been disturbed and cramped during 

 growth, and near the place of junction the root thickens somewhat, as is 

 clearly shown in Plate XXX, fig. 2. In the latter figure the junction of the 

 rhizome with the host can be seen as flowerlike radiations on the lower part 

 of the rhizome, and by corresponding radiations and depressions at the end 

 of the host root. The latter does not cease to grow after being attacked ; 

 in fact, the root appears to grow stronger near the place of attachment 

 with the rhizome, and this becomes more pronounced in the larger and 

 older specimens. When a fresh rhizome is cut into halves so as to trace 

 the root host, the latter, in large specimens, spreads out fanlike and in 

 cuplike depressions, twisted on the outside, and appearing as if the ends 

 of the root had been subjected to great pressui'e. The depressions or cups 

 are filled mostly with a pithy substance, which, when dry, shrinks and 

 leaves several hollow spaces. On the outside of the terminal roots of the 

 host a similar pithy substance underlies the ordinary bark, and it appears 

 as if the rhizome was fed or nourished in the places indicated. 



The rhizome in a growing state presents the appearance of a large potato 

 covered over with warts. When cut through there is a bluish-purple line 

 not unlike that seen in the blue potato, formerly in common use by the 

 Maoris along the east coast. It is not difficult to cut, and resembles a 

 Swedish turnip except in colour. The taste is neutral, or perhaps slightly 

 sweetish, and when bitten is crisp but somewhat dry, and leaves behind 

 a slight raspy or acrid taste. As the flesh portion of the rhizome approaches 

 the cortical layer it is covered over with pimple-like growths. These eventu- 

 ally push their way through a mass of cortical layer, and form flowering- 

 shoots over the entire surface of the rhizome. If the tubercular growths 

 which cover a rhizome-like wart be cut across, they show a distinct arrange- 

 ment of parts. First come the scales, then a yellowish-white band made up 

 of strands resembling resin. Within this, but touching the inner portion, 

 are ten or twelve horseshoe-like forms, some of a rich orange colour and 

 others a deep purple ; but they always present one or other of these charac- 

 teristics. If the two ends of a horseshoe were joined loosely so as to bend 

 inwards somewhat, the similarity would be complete. I have cut many 

 of the fresh growing tubercles, and have separated the scales one by one 

 so as to get at the central growing portion. This consists of minute growths, 

 not unUke in appearance one of the ripening flowers of a fig, except that each 

 part is made up of two lip-like growths, one being a little larger than the 



