Piate 116—SONCHUS GRANDIFOLIUS. 
Famity COMPOSIT/. ] [Genus SONCHUS, Tourn. 
Sonchus [grandifolius, 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi (1894), 266 ; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. 
Fl. 388. 
Sonchus grandijolius, which is a very curious and remarkable species, 
was first gathered by Mr. H. H. Travers in the year 1871 during his second visit 
to the Chatham Islands. His specimens, however, were few in number and 
in bad condition, and consequently were passed over without notice by 
Mr. Buchanan in his memoir on ‘‘ The Flowering-plants and Ferns of the Chatham 
Islands’ (Trans. N.Z. Inst. vii (1875), 333). In 1891 Mr. J. D. Enys visited 
the Chatham Islands, and brought back a few imperfect specimens which he 
gave to Mr. Kirk. From their examination, and from the study of some 
plants cultivated at Christchurch, Mr. Kirk was able to prepare a sufficient 
diagnosis of the species. Since then the plant has been repeatedly collected 
by Mr. Cox, and was studied in detail in Dr. Cockayne’s exploration of the 
group in 1901. 
I have never had an opportunity of visiting the Chatham Islands, but I 
am familiar with the appearance and behaviour of the plant in cultivation. It 
possesses a stout succulent creeping rhizome, which every spring puts up a tall 
robust leafy stem from 2 ft. to 5it. high. The radical leaves are of large size, 
sometimes quite 2 ft. in length, and are closely applied to the ground. The 
stem is corymbosely branched at the top, and bears numerous heads 1 in. to Ijin. 
in diameter. The florets in the centre of the heads are pale yellow, but those 
towards the outside are pale purple. 
Nowadays S. grandifolius is far from common. Dr, Cockayne, in his 
“ Plant Covering of Chatham Islands” (Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxiv (1902), 263), 
states “that at present it is to be found only in a few places.” Further on, 
speaking of terraces and ledges on maritime rocks on which sand has drifted, 
he remarks that at Red Bluff, situated on the west coast of Chatham Islands, 
“ Sonchus grandifolius grows with great luxuriance just above high-water mark, 
its large fleshy leaves pressed closely against the sand. The plant is truly a 
herbaceous one, its aerial portion dying down to the ground every year. 4 
Growing in company with S. grandijfolius, and in considerable quantities, are 
Apium australe, Samolus repens, Salicornia australis, and the remarkable grass 
Agropyrum Coxii.” Dr. Cockayne considers, however, that S. grandifolius once 
had a much wider distribution, and was probably not uncommon on_ the 
consolidated sand-dunes which cover large areas on the shores of Chatham 
Islands. Its present restricted distribution is no doubt due to the mtroduction 
of cattle, and to the numerous fires. 
Puate 116. Sonchus grandifolius, drawn from cultivated specimens originally from the Chatham 
Islands. Figs. 1 to 5, involucral bracts, showing the difference in size and shape between the exterior 
and interior (x2); 6 and 7, florets (x2); 8, pappus-hairs (x10); 9, anthers (x5); 10, style- 
branches (enlarged); 11, achene (enlarged). 
