18 PLANTS OF NEW ZKALAND 



for many writers. The term liane, like the blessed word 

 Mesopotamia, seems almost to have been sutiicient to bring 

 tears to the eyes of Kerner. In a rapturous passage lie alludes 

 to it as tlie " beautiful word liane" the "sweet word liane." 



It is dihicult to see why the bush climbers should have 

 aroused so mucli enthusiasm. Possibly, it is because they are 

 comparatively rare m Europe, and have, therefore, been 

 looked upon as symbolizing the luxuriance and strangeness of 

 the tropical forest. In England there are no climljers that 

 reach the tops of the trees except the ivy and honeysuckle. 

 Lianes reach their highest development in the Tropics, but 

 particularly in the West Indies and Brazil. In New Zealand, 

 l:)oth they and the epiphytes are better represented than 

 in any other extra-tropical country except Chili, whose forests 

 show frequent resemblances to those of New Zealand. 



The advantage of a climbing stem to the bush plant is 

 obvious. Little direct sunlight can penetrate into the cavernous 

 depths of the forest. The interior of the New Zealand 

 bush is immersed in a cathedral-like gloom. Few plants, 

 therefore, can grow upon its floor. Only when some giant of 

 the forest falls, is there room for another to develop. Such 

 seeds as germinate must quickly struggle up to the light 

 overhead or die. There is no time for them to grow into 

 trees. Many, therefore, have developed a climbing habit, 

 in order to be able to ascend rapidly to the surface of the 

 ocean (jf green b(jughs, that toss above in the wind under 

 the ' sweet flooding sunshine.' They are careless of the 

 means by which they climb. Their one cry seems to be, 

 " more light, more light ! "'' 



AiiKingst our climbers many different methods are adopted 

 for reaching the light. The kie-kie sprawds awkwardly over 



It is eas>- to be j4ui]t>- ot the " jiathetlc fallacy'," and to read Into their npward 

 strni^ules onr hnman emotions, as ]vinf,'sley has done in a well-known passage in At Last ; 

 Imt sncla an iuter])retation will not lielii us towards a real understanding of ]>lant nature. 

 At the same time, in mere description, it is often diiiicult to avoid the use of words or 

 ])hrases which nia.y seem to imiih' in the plant a human motive. Where such may 

 ha])pen to occur in this book, tlie>- must be understood purely in the descriptive and not 

 ill tin- telenlogical sense. 



