114 The Biology of the Lowland Plants. 
The leaves of the scrambling lianes are as follows: — Compound 9, simple 3, 
very small 2, small 2, medium 5, large 2, very large ı, coriaceous 7, thin 5, 
tomentose ı, glossy ı, grass-like ı. 
Root-climbers'). 
Root-climbers are not confined to trees and shrubs as their hosts but cover 
the faces of rocks and also frequently creep over the ground. In the case of 
the ferns, it is hardly feasible to separate the climbing from the epiphytic, 
because many which have no connection with the ground ascend tree-trunks. 
Polypodium diversifolium possessing a thick, green, fleshy stem is equally a 3 
ground-herb, a liane and an epiphyte. Blechnum filiforme, Arthropteris tenella, 
Polypodium pustulatum and P. novae-zealandiae are almost obligate lianes. The 
first-named is a most characteristic object in the northern and central forests, 
its great pinnate leaves draping the trunks of the smaller trees and projecting 
outwards and downwards; the climbing stem is stout and woody, branches 
freely, surrounds the trunk of the host and, at times winds to some small 
extent. The juvenile plant creeps on the ground and has much smaller leaves 
and differently shaped leaflets to those of the adult. 
Freycinelia Banksiüi has a terete, hard, woody, rigid stem, 2.5 cm or so 
in diam. fastened to the host by stout roots which pass quite round a slender 3 
trunk and finally branching copiously cling most closely to the bark. The : 
leaves are sword-like, 60 cm or more long, thick, coriaceous, glabrous and may 
quite hide the tree-trunk. : 
The species of Metrosideros have stout, woody climbing stems which 
4 ascend the loftiest trees and are, at first, fastened tightly to the host by numerous 
aerial roots. Lateral branches are given off freely: these, at first soft and 
fleshy, grow rapidiy but put forth no roots until woody, the apical portion 
being without roots and having only partially developed leaves. The climbing 
shoots are pressed more or less tightly against the bark, M. scandens being 
most marked in this regard the ‘small, thick, roundish leaves being pressed 
tightly against the bark forming typical leaf-mosaics. Finally, in all the species, 
lateral non-climbing shoots are developed which can bear flowers and fruit, 
their leaves more or less distinet from the juvenile.. The main climbing stems, ; 
in the highest-climbing species, eventually lose their roots, are held away from 
the trunk and increase in thickness attaining, in M. florida, a diam. of ı5 cm. F 
All the climbing species of Metrosideros at first creep on the forest-floor 
partly above and partly below the surface and put down roots in abundance. 
N 
be really parts of one plant. M. Florida, M. albiflora and especially M. a 
occur also as en Plate A Fig. 25) 
. 1) This class RS Hälmy em, Sonim tens, Prorini Bank und 6 pas 
Ep Myrtaceae. er 
