26 



similar fruits in two plants should indicate a close rela- 

 tionship, but this does not appear to be the case. Fruits 

 of like structure do not indicate common descent. They 

 are specialised developments to insure the effective dispersal 

 of the seed ; consequently any advantageous change in 

 form of any member of a family niay give it an advantage 

 which will enable it to reproduce its kind more success- 

 fully than its less fortunate relatives. The same thing 

 applies to leaves. Consequently very different leaves may 

 be found in one family and similar leaves may be found 

 in very different ones. Particular forms of fruit or leaves 

 must net therefore be taken to mean relationship. The 

 leaf of the Plane is very like a Maple. The fruit of the 

 Blue Climbing Berry, which is closely allied to Pittos- 

 porum, is similarly constructed to the fruit of the Blue 

 Berry and Turquoise Berry, which are both Lilies. But 

 although this similarity of fruit and leaf is not to be relied 

 upon as indicating relationship, yet we find in some 

 instances a peculiar form of leaf or fruit may be common to 

 one family; further, it may be confined to the members of 

 one family. This fact has led enterprising geologists to 

 discover in certain leaf-impressions the presence of Oaks, 

 Willows, Elms, and many other families in rock strata. 

 It is certain that some of these conclusions are erroneous. 



This family, as already said, is a very large one. Some 

 are small herbs; others tall trees. Some grow erect; others 

 grow flat on the ground. Some have a copious foliage: 

 others no leaves at all. Yet all conform to the same type 

 of flower and fruit. 



We have no room to draw attention to more than a 

 few forms. In sandy spots, especially near the sea, the 

 Running Postman is often found. The branches are 

 slender and lie flat on the ground, bearing leaves with 

 three flat broad leaflets. The flowers are rather large and 

 bright crimson, rarely white, forming conspicuous objects. 

 The lower nine stamens are united for some distance, and 

 the upper one free. The pod is rather long, cylindric, and 

 many-seeded. 



Native Gorse is an erect, much-branched shrub. Its 

 leaves are very sharp, but vary greatly in breadth. Some- 

 times they are very narrow, like spines ; at others they 

 are broad, but always sharply pointed. The flowers are 

 small, yellow, and in axillary bunches. The pod is small, 

 flat, and triangular. To the same genus as this belongs 

 Bitterleaf, or, as it is often called, Native Hop. It differs 

 in the leaves being broad, blunt, with conspicuous netted 



