THE VEGETATION OF THE JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS 



849 



Fig. 15. Iioidroseris litoralis in .Mr. Charpenner s garden, Masatierra; a young, unbranched, 

 not yet flowered plant, i 12 years old. — Photo 1441917. 



once, and one unusually large plant attained 8 m with a long main stem S cm 

 thick. Internodes of the flowering shoot longer than in Robhisoma and leafy during 

 the flowering season Dec. — February. Bark very thin, dark brown, wood and pith 

 as in SyjupJiyochaeta. Innovations as in Robinsonia, 2 — 4 in number. On a branch 

 collected in August, 191 7, the innovations had the first internode up to 3 cm long, 

 immediately followed b\- shorter ones, 3 — 5 mm, all leafless; the large terminal 

 bud, cone-shaped as in Robinsonia, was 5.4 — 'A cm long and still resting. In 

 Fig. 14 is an old specimen in April, showing no sign of having flowered during 

 the previous season, and a branch may require several years before it produces 

 the terminal panicle. Fruiting trees in earh* autumn (April) bear still growing 

 innovations. Rhetinodeiidron is dioecious; heads vet}- numerous, but smaller and 

 much more inconspicuous than in Robmsoiia. 



The four species of Dejidroseris s. str. (Skottsb. 2J) are nearly related to each 

 other and of much the same general appearance. The young shoot is solid, with 

 a wood cylinder 5 mm thick or more, and a soft pith, the older ones hollow, 

 with a thin diaphragm across the nodes. Leaves large, soft coriaceous, bright 

 green and glabrous, the limb revolute in bud, protected by the broad sheath of 

 the older leaves. Heads large, involucre glaucous, flowers bright orange yellow. 



