296 Transactions.— Botany. 
which led Mr. J. B. Armstrong to describe the leaf as having a closed sinus, 
an error which is at once demonstrated by simply flattening the leaf. Asa 
rule large speeimens growing in the open have the upper leaves concave and 
the lower convex, the texture of those most exposed being almost as thick 
as in some specimens of Stilbocarpa. Occasionally hairs are developed on 
both surfaces, but they are always white and soft. 
The foliaceous ligule at the base of each leaf is sometimes largely 
developed, and usually exhibits a pair of acute laciniæ larger than the 
others, at first sight presenting the appearance of a pair of ordinary stipules: 
most frequently all the lacinie are more or less acute and ciliated, but a 
considerable amount of variation is exhibited in this respect. 
Much variation is shown in the density of the inflorescence ; the umbels 
are highly compound, usually forming a dense orbicular mass of reddish- 
purple flowers, often more than a foot in diameter. Frequently the 
inflorescence is lax and open. The scapes are fistulose, and equal the 
petioles ; the primary involucral leaves are sometimes 5’ or 6" in diameter, 
On stout petioles, and closely resemble ordinary leaves; the secondary 
Series is also petioled but greatly reduced in size and modified in form, 
being trifid, tripartite, or lobulate with a cuneate base; in the tertiary 
umbellules they are simply linear. 
In most specimens each of the secondary rays carries a female 
umbellule, from beneath which a whorl of from two to five male umbellules 
is given off; some of these are again branched. Sometimes the apex of a 
Secondary ray terminates in a single abortive flower, when the tertiary rays 
carry small female umbellules surrounded by male as before. The pedicels 
of the male flowers are shorter than those of the female. 
In the male flowers the calyx teeth are reduced to points, in the female 
they are obsolete ; the petals are usually close set, those of the male being 
Slightly longer than the others, both alike are of a lurid reddish-purple. 
Stilbocarpa polaris differs from Aralia lyallii in the stouter texture of the 
leaves, which are clothed on both surfaces with long bristles, and the petiole 
is slightly compressed, sometimes exhibiting traces of a groove on the upper 
surface ; the ligule is usually more deeply laciniated, the laciniæ being orb- 
tuse and fringed with strong cilia. The petals are broader, obovate-spathu- 
late, and of a pale yellow colour. The stamens are oblong, with rather 
shorter filaments, and the styles are recurved. The stylopodia form an 
interrupted annular disk, and as already shown, the fruit is acetabuliform 
8-4 celled. It appears to be restricted to the Auckland Islands, Campbell 
Island, and Macquarrie Island. 
