246 Transactions.— Botany. 
of a faint red tinge with yellowish discolorations on each side; lateral veins 
distinct, but not prominent. 
The large panicle was not simply drooping, but pendulous, the rhachis 
being sharply recurved, so that it grew downwards parallel with the trunk, 
with which the panicle was in close contact for the greater part of its length. 
It developed nearly 200 branches, and, on a low computation, must have 
borne fully 16,000 flowers, 
Мг. Colenso has always contended for the specific distinctness of the North 
Island plant, and in this has been supported by Dr. Hector and Mr. Buchanan, 
the latter, I believe, being the only botanist who has had an opportunity of 
examining Forster's C. indivisa from Dusky Bay and the present plant from 
Mount Egmont in a living state, although unfortunately not in a flowering 
condition. 
The New Zealand Cordylines comprise several dubious forms, respecting 
which fuller information is desirable. One of these exhibits a small, arboreous 
stem 2 inches or more in diameter, 2-5 feet high, narrow drooping leaves 
4—5 feet long, and large, sparingly-branched, drooping panicles 5 feet long, 
with comparatively few flowers. A fine example of this elegant form was 
formerly to be seen near the Ponsonby Road, Auckland; and I believe a plant 
found by Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Robert Mair, at Whangarei, to be identical. 
Its affinities are evidently with C. pumilio. The form cultivated by the 
Upper Wanganui natives*— so far as an opinion can be formed from the foliage 
of young plants only—is closely related to C. australis, but I believe the 
flowers are unknown. The fine plant found on the Rimutaka Ranges—the 
“ Rimutaka flax” of the settlers—combines to some extent the characters of 
C. banksii and C. hookeri. Another singular but elegant form, which appears 
intermediate between C. australis and C. banksii, occurs on the Kawau ; 
lastly, a blue-flowered form has been discovered by Mr. Robert Mair at 
Whangarei and by Dr. Hector in other localities, but I have been unable to 
obtain specimens. 
C. hookeri is in general cultivation in Europe under the name of C. indivisa, 
but the true C. indivisa has not yet been brought under cultivation. 
* Native name, Ti-tawhiti. — Ep, s 
