358 Transactions. — JBotani/. 



of which seioarate from the main trunk at about five feet from the ground 

 and after rising some ten feet higher some of them divide again into other 

 branches. 



The tree itself is about nine inches in diameter at the ground, and about 

 six inches just before it divides, the branches being from three to four 

 inches each in diameter. The total height of the tree is about thirty feet, 

 and each branch is crowned with a fine head of luxuriant leaves, forming 

 altogether a most beautiful object. The forest around contains hundreds 

 of ordinary nikaus with single stems, but none with any sign of branches. 

 There was no fruit on the tree, though others in the vicinity were in 

 bearing ; this may not, however, be owing to any barrenness in it, for it is 

 stated that the palms do not bear seed every year. It would be rather 

 interesting to ascertain whether the seeds of this particular tree would 

 produce branched offspring like itself. 



Since seeing this tree I have made inquiries of several old bushmen and 

 others with a view of eliciting whether they had ever seen or heard of the 

 like before, and with one exception have been answered in the negative. 

 In this case my informant stated that he had seen a deformed specimen 

 which had divided into two branches — the cause of which he attributed to 

 accident — such as the falling of a tree into its head, by which it would 

 become divided but still have sufficient vitality to recover the blow. I do 

 not attempt to assign any cause why this tree differs from its fellows, but 

 simply bring the matter before the Society as an example of a marked 

 deviation from a general form of vegetable life. The accompanying sketch 

 (pL XV.), copied from a rough one taken on the ground, will give a much 

 better idea of the tree than any description I can give. 



Art. L. — Notes on Ferns. By T. H. Potts. 

 [Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, Gth December, 1877.] 

 The writer offers a few notes on the habits and localities of some of our 

 ferns, trusting they may be of some interest, as habitats are given not 

 mentioned in "Hooker's Handbook." One cannot fail to notice the great 

 changes that are daily taking place in the natural aspect of the country. 

 More especially is this the case in forest lauds, where a vast amount of 

 timber has been used up or destroyed within the past ten years. Ten years 

 ago is about the date of Dr. Hooker's most valuable Handbook of the New 

 Zealand Flora. In that work of reference, "abundant throughout the 

 islands" is a constantly-recurring phrase as applied to ferns. This 



