﻿268 Transactions. — Botany. 



the Rata from Wakefield's " Handbook for New Zealand " :— " Rata {Metro- 

 sideros rohusta). Tliere are several varieties of this tree — one grows at first 

 as a parasite, creeping in numerous stem-like rojDes up the trunks of the 

 other forest trees, gradually enclosing them till they perish, and then uniting 

 to form a noble tree, taller than that which it has destroyed, with an enormous 

 trunk, but hollow within." 



It is, however, noteworthy that this opinion is not expressed by Dr. 

 Hochstetter and the writers of other standard works on New Zealand, who 

 simply speak of the Rata as a large tree with showy blossoms. 



The general resemblance which the foliage and inflorescence of one of the 

 scandent species exhibits to oiir plant has doubtless contiibuted to the per- 

 petuity of the mistake. M. Jlorida, which is also called Rata, is a climber 

 in all stages of its existence, but may readily be distinguished by its larger 

 leaves and flowers, its weak stems, and above all by the capsule being included 

 within the calyx tube. More than half the capsule of M. rohusta is not 

 included in the calyx tube. 



There can be no question that M. rohusta is often found destroying trees 

 by which it is supported, and these instances are adduced by the bushman as 

 decisive proof of the climbing habit of the plant, and he attempts to confirm 

 his view by calling the species just mentioned {M. Jlorida) the young state of 

 the destroyer — totally ignorant of the fact that he is confusing two widely 

 separate plants. In reality, however, our plant is exactly the reverse of a 

 climber — the so-called trunks or stems being trulj aerial roots, sent down from 

 an epiphytic plant in search of nourishment ! The seeds of M. rohusta are 

 conveyed by birds, or blown by the wind, amongst the epiphytic masses of 

 Asteliads, Lycopods, and Ferns, so abundant in the trees of the northern 

 forests. In this situation the plant takes root and forms a small bush, for a 

 time obtaining sufficient nourishment from the decaying vegetation in which 

 it is growing, until the limited supply proving insufiicient for the increasing 

 demand, its roots stretch boldly down the trunk of the supporting tree in 

 search of that full supply which can only be obtained from the earth. Some- 

 times only a single root is given off, at others one main root with one or two 

 weaker roots are to be seen, and again several roots of about equal dimensions 

 are to be found, but in nearly all cases the difierent roots or stems are bound I 

 together by smaller roots, which are given off at right angles to the trunk of 

 the supporting tree, and become united with the adjacent main roots by inos- 

 culation ; not unfrequently masses of fibrous roots are developed, which 

 perish with the increase of the main root, after serving their purpose of deriving 

 temporary nourishment from the atmosphere. In course of time the various 

 stems become inosculated, to a greater or lesser extent, along their course, and 

 the supporting tree is literally strangled by their iron embrace. Notwith- 



