Cross. — Observations on some Neiv Zealand Ilalophytes. 551 



The branches are very succulent, though sometimes woody at the base. 

 In winter most of them die down, leaving the dry, woody lower parts, 

 which send out fresh succulent branches in the spring, or, indeed, in winter 

 should a few mild days intervene. In the more sheltered situations the 

 ordinary succulent branches are persistent throughout the whole year. 

 In form they are jointed with internodes 1-2 cm. long, 2-3 mm. in thickness, 

 and cylindrical, except at the joints, where they are shghtly flattened, and 

 produced into two short lobes, with membranous edges. Each pair of lobes 

 is at right angles to the pair immediately above. The whole plant is 

 perfectly glabrous. 



Leaves are entirely absent. 



Koots are short and very woody, and sometimes spread horizontally 

 for a considerable distance. 



Inflorescences were found in autumn and the early part of the winter 

 at the ends of the branches. They are in the form of spikes, slightly thicker 

 than the branches they terminate. The flowers are ambisporangiate, and 

 svxnk in the joints, which are here much shorter. Each flower has a fleshy 

 perianth, a single rather conspicuous stamen, two styles, papillose stigmas, 

 and one erect ovule. 



Fig. 2. — Salicornia austualis. 



a. Branches with terminal inflorescences, half natural size. h. T.S. of succulent 



stem, X 38. 



This species varies much according to station. When wholly or parti- 

 ally submerged it is paler green, much less rigid, and has larger internodes 

 than the ordinary form of the salt meadow. It assumes very much the 

 same appearance out in the marshes, though the branches are slightly more 

 rigid. In the meadows it forms a dense, matted growth, with short 

 branches stiffly erect. In one part, at Heathcote, where a narrow belt of 

 meadow stretches right out to the river, Salicornia is found rooting on the 

 upper edge of the bank, and hanging down almost to the surface of the 



