The Biology of the Plants. 259 
Olearia semidentata varies to an astonishing degree in the form of its 
leaves and the amount of tomentum, so much so that plants growing side by 
side, so far as general appearance goes, might be taken for distinct species. 
F The roots, which are of considerable length, project laterally and not vertically 
downwards. The flower-heads have most brilliant purple ray-florets. 
Dracophyllum paludosum has a long, creeping, slender, subterranean stem 
which gives off numerous cord-like roots, an organ already developed while 
a seedling. Both the above species hegscniig flower when only a few centi- 
E metres high. 
= Lianes are only jeptisensee by the 6 common New Zealand species, — 
Lycopodium volubile, Rhipogonum scandens, Muehlenbeckia australis, Tetragonia 
trigyna and Re Zugurierum, all of which have been dealt with for low- 
- land New Zea 
3 Epiphytes a 14; all but one.are Hräinland species and consist merely 
of 2 orchids, 4 filmy ferns, 7 thick- or coriaceous-leaved ferns and 7mesipteris. 
The exception, Dracophyllum arboreum, an endemic tree, commences its career 
as an epiphyte on the trunk of a tree-fern, the roots passing downwards, and 
eventually entering the ground, coalesce and form a trunk, thus behaving in 
a similar manner to Norhopanar arboreum and several other trees. 
c. Herbs, semi-woody plants and aquatics. 
The total number of species of herbs and semi-woody plants is 174 of 
which ı2 are annuals, 162 perennials, 28 semi-woody, 146 herbs, 78 wandering 
and 96 spot-bound. Regarding their stature 7 are very tall (more than go cm 
tall); 17 tall (from 60—g90 cm); 41 of medium height (30—60 cm); 52 small 
(15—30 cm); 53 very small (less than ı5 cm) while 4 hug the ground or are 
at most 3 cm ! Er 
The growth Gras of the species are as follows together with the number 
of species to each: — 1) Annuals ı2 of which ı0 are erect Branchii 3 
ı tufted-grass and ı tufted-rush. 2) Semi-woody plants 28, — a) Spot-b: bound 18 
made up of, — erect-branching 8; erect unbranching 4% arg 7 :d- 
fern ı; rosette-form 1; b) Wandering ı0o made up of, — - mat-forı 
Br en x: ‚erect, IE and Fa} 5, RR. 1 3 E “ Wa 
and ee a a 
Coming ı Dar to the & Icaven, 0 9 ; — ae a 
