146 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



Knightia excelsa. {The Honey-suckle). 



A tree, sometimes reaching to the height of 100ft. Leaves 4 in. - Bin. long, 

 stiff, roughly notched or toothed, obtuse, hnear-oblong. Flowers in racenies, 

 sessile, red, velvety, 2 in. - 3 in. long, 2 in. in diameter. Perianth lin.-l^in. 

 long before expansion; -j^ in. diameter in the middle. Follicle woody. North 

 Island and Pelorus sound. Fl. Nov. -Dec. Maori name Rewa-rewa. It is 

 sometimes called the Bucket-of-ivater-tree, because it is so slow of com- 

 bustion. 



This plant is related to the Australian bottle-brushes. It 

 is found only in the North Island and Marlborougli, and, from 

 a distance, bears a considerable resemblance to the Lombardy 

 poplar. Several points in the growth and development of the 

 long tubular flowers are worthy of notice. The buds are set 

 round a long floral axis, and the whole cluster has a strange 

 appearance, like a bottle brush composed of red velvet. The 

 gradual opening of these buds is very curious, and well worth 

 watching. The top of the tube opens first, very slightly, so 

 as to expose the tip of the style. It then splits open, for a 

 short distance, into four separate segments at the base of the 

 perianth, leaving the tube still for the most part closed. 

 Finally, it bursts suddenly, and the four elastic segments 

 thus set free, roll themselves downwards, and coil into spiral 

 bands at the base of the perianth. The flower, now fully open, 

 presents a strange, tangled appearance, very different from 

 that of the bud. 



The anthers, which are attached to the top of the perianth, 

 and in contact with the style, mature their pollen, while the 

 tube is still closed, and deposit it upon the swollen portion of 

 the style. This would suggest a device for self-pollination, 

 but a closer examination shows that it is, after all, an 

 ingenious contrivance to provide for cross-pollination. The 

 stigmatic surface is minute, and depressed in a small cup at 

 the top of the stigma. The flower is much visited by the 

 tuis and bell-birds. These birds, pushing their beaks into a 

 bunch of newly-opened flowers, receive the pollen upon the 

 front of the head, and probably smear it over the stigmas of 



