184 



The Vegetable Sheep of New Zealand. 



is re- 

 drawing* 



Hi S. 



COEOXIA AICD ACEIKE. 



ance of several bodies projecting from the general surface like 

 minute outgrowths. On microscopic examination they appeared 

 to consist of flowers in a dry state) surmounting immature 



achenes (or seeds), at the 

 base of which were fleshy 

 rings, apparently in a 

 living state. The ap- 

 pearance of these flowers 

 is shown in the annexed 

 woodcut, which 

 duced from a 

 made on a larger scale. 

 It will be seen that there 

 are two kinds of hairs, 

 one simple and the other 

 highly complex. The 

 former spring from the 

 annular disc or fleshy 

 ring at the base of the 

 achene, and from the 

 body of the achene, while 

 the latter arise from the flower which is above it. The dark 

 mark shows the point at which the flower and achene divide. 

 The composite hairs consist of a number of small tubes 

 delicately white, and with slightly wrinkled surfaces. They 

 require powers of from 100 and upwards for their effective 

 display. The number of the tubes in these compound hairs 

 varies considerably in different specimens. In one I counted 

 sixteen tubes in the central part. The tubes at the sides throw 

 out projections with pointed tips, and another tube usually joins 

 the diverging tube, and continues a straight course. On one 

 of the flowers, which was slightly broken so as to show its 

 interior, I noticed small pale-yellow pollen grains, which show 

 no inclination to shrivel up. 



The most curious fact is, that the annular discs or fleshy rings 

 at the base of the achenes contain pale, yellow-green chloro- 

 phyll, apparently in a living state, although the Kew specimen 

 plant looks quite dry, and has hcnn a year or two in a glass- 

 case in a warm room. My specimens, which have been mounted 

 under their glass covers for many months, still look plump and 

 fresh, and it would appear that the plant is so constructed as 

 to bear a prolonged drought without losing its vitality by ex- 

 cess of evaporation — at least, that is the conclusion to which I 

 have been led by examining these flowers, and some sections 

 which I made of the stem. 



The leaves are very curious microscopic objects. In the 

 thy Btato they, like the flower, are brown. They consist of 



