86 NEW ZEALAND NATURE-STUDY BOOK 
The Fan, Examine a leaf growing from the stem. 
Ascertain that it consists of a long sword-like blade, ending 
above in a point-—-though the upper part of the blade is 
almost always split for some distance from the apex—and 
below in a thickened butt, formed by the two halves of the 
leaf on either side of the mid-rib being fused together. 
Notice that the partial fusion of these further up the leaf 
forms a sheath on one side and a keel more or less deep on 
the other. Notice the leaf arrangement forming the fans. 
The keels all point outwards and the sheath of each leaf 
for some distance from the underground stem encloses the 
keel of a neighbouring one, the central leaf being wrapped 
on either side by a sheath. | 
Observe the ey fluid which oozes out : the thickened 
and of the leaf. “ The dressing of the leaves is greatly 
interfered with by the presence of this gum. 
When it has grown for several years, each fan sends up a 
long flower-stalk or scape, called by the Maoris a Korari, 
after, which it produces no more leaves but dies the 
following year. 
The Flower. Examine one of these flower-stalks. 
-Ascertain by cutting it that it is not hollow, but consists of 
bundles of coarse fibres closely packed together. | Notice 
the sheathing bracts which occur at intervals throughout 
its: entire length. Observe that each bract at its base 
completely envelopes the stalk, and grows towards the side 
of the stalk opposite to that towards which the next higher 
or next lower bract points. Notice that the intervals 
between the sheathing bracts diminish in length towards 
the top of the flower-stalk, where they become crowded 
together. Notice further that about half way up the 
stalk: each bract ‘encloses a small, stout, lateral- branch 
bearing flowers. The bracts, which are at’ first . green, 
gradually become dark brown in colour, and wither away. 
