File:Plants of New Zealand (1906) (14597530070).jpg

Identifier: plantsofnewzeala1906lain (find matches)
Title: Plants of New Zealand
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Laing, R. M. (Robert Malcolm), b. 1865 Blackwell, E. W. (Ellen W.)
Subjects: Plants
Publisher: Christchurch : Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd.
Contributing Library: The LuEsther T Mertz Library, the New York Botanical Garden
Digitizing Sponsor: The LuEsther T Mertz Library, the New York Botanical Garden

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rst of all normally, but, on thesecondary rootlets, there are produced small round nodules-—not unlike those on the roots of a leguminous plant. Theirfunction, however, is completely different. When they comein contact with the root of another species, they put out shortabsorption-cells, which penetrate the tissues of the host. They are mostly little known alpine plants; often tufted, ormoss-like. The genus owes its English name to the onceprevalent belief that the juices of one of the species removedblindness, or at least improved the sight of the eyes. Gesneriaceae. The Gloxinia Family. Distribution.—A large, chiefly tropical family, possessing no importantproperties, but much cultivated for the beauty of its flowers. Some of the SouthAmerican species are epiphytic. Gloxinia is one of the best-known stove-plants.The Calabash tree of N. America, Crescentia Cujete, has edible fruits. Thefamily is represented in New Zealand by a genus of a single species. THE SNAP-DRAGON FAMILY 387
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Fig. 131. Rhabdothamnus Solandri. 388 PLANTS OP NEW ZEALAND Genus Uhahdothamnus. A slender, twiggy shrub, 2 ft.-6 ft. high, with opposite leaves, and prettyyellow and red striped flowers. Sepals 5 ; corolla bell-shaped, 2-lipped. Upperlip 2-lobed, under .3-lobed. Stamens 5, one rudimentary. Anthers combined.Ovary 1-celled ; ovules numerous. Capsule 2-valved; seeds minute. (Namefrom the Greek, signifying a twiggy shrub). 1 sp. Rhabdothamnus Solandri (Solanders Bhabdothammis). stem hairy. Leaves round or broadly oblong, ^ in.-fin. across, toothed,rough, membranous. Flowers terminal or axillary ; corolla S in. long,orange-red. North Island : as far South as Wellington. Fl. Oct.-Nov. This is the only New Zealand representative of the largetropical family Gesneriaceae. Mr. Petrie has recently studiedthe pollination of the flower, which presents various points ofinterest. It seems probable that it will have to be addedto our list of bird-pollinated species, which is alreadycomparatively lon

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