240 



PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



The leaves of the Wild Irishman are fairly abundant in spring, 

 become fewer in summer, and are altogether wanting in 

 autumn and winter. Most of the shoots are reduced to green 

 pungent spines, sometimes with brown tips. These when old 

 lose their chlorophyll, and become very hard and dry. They 

 .are then so strong and needle-like, that they were often used 



j 



Fig. 73. Discaria toumatou ($ nat. size). 

 (Moist air form on the left, ordinary form on the right.) 



by the Maoris for tattooing, when bone or other needles were 

 unprocurable. 



DE. L. COCKAYNE'S EXPERIMENT. 



The small deciduous leaves, and hard green acuminate shoots 

 of Discaria at once proclaim it a plant of dry localities. As a 

 matter of fact, it is found chiefly on sand-dunes, on arid or 

 clayey hill-sides, and on stony plains. That it should acquire 

 such a highly xerophytic structure is therefore little to be 



