140 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



some sluggish lowland stream such as the Turakino, through 

 beech forest, whose boughs, brilliant with Loranthus 

 blossom, meet overhead. Tourists are very apt to mistake 

 this plant for the rata. L. Fieldii* is perhaps as fine, but it is 

 little known. It grows in the beech forests to the south 

 and west of Kuapehu. Mr. Field says of it, " The Loranthus 

 forms large bushes in the tops of the trees, and the blossoms 

 are so abundant as almost to hide the foliage, so that each 

 bush, when in flower, looks like a flame. I believe the 

 largest bushes are quite ten feet in diameter, and those of six 

 feet are common. As the blossoms fall, the whole ground is 

 sprinkled with petals. They are yellow at their bases, but 

 shade gradually, through orange and scarlet, to crimson, and 

 even carmine at the tips." 



The flowers of this species open in a curious fashion, for 

 which at present no explanation is forthcoming. A few open 

 outwards from the apex in a normal way ; but in most of 

 them the petals become detached at their bases, and roll 

 upwards and outwards (cf. Kniglitia excelsa, p. 146). Their 

 weight drags the stamens downwards, and these finally break 

 off and fall to the ground, with the petals still attached to 

 them. We have probably here some curious and unexplained 

 device to secure cross-pollination ; but the description 

 given by Mr. Field is obscure at one or two points, and, as in 

 a conjuror's trick, the facts which have not been observed, 

 are probably the facts necessary for a solution of the problem. 



L. micranthus is the species that is most abundant in the 

 lowland forests. It is almost everywhere common in any 

 piece of " bush " on the East Coast, from the Bay of Islands 

 southwards. It has many different hosts, and is sometimes 

 found in unexpected places. It has been obtained upon totara, 

 Carmichaelia, Coprosma, and even upon Eubus (the bush 

 lawyer). It also flourishes upon many introduced plants. 

 Mr. Potts noticed it upon the plum, pear, Abutilon, 



*Trans. XVII., p. 288. 



