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%. Gunnera prorepens, Hook, fil.; surculosa, parce pilosa v. glabrata, foliis longe petiolatis lineari- v.
ovato-oblongis obtusis basi subcordatis v. in petiolum angustatis crenatis, fioribus in spicam elongatam
dispositis.
H a b . Mountainous parts of the Northern Island, Colenso. YYest coast of Middle Island, ly a ll.
Usually a much larger plant than G. monoica, from 1-10 inches high, depending on locality. Scions stout,
4-8 inches long, giving off stout rooting rhizomas, and eight to ten leaves, ou petioles 4-8 inches long. Leaves
1-2 inches, ovate-oblong, blunt, crenate, sparingly pilose, cordate, or rounded, or narrowed into the petiole at the
base. Scapes about as long as the leaves; when in fruit bearing many sessile drupes, laxly or densely spiked, which
are as large as pepper-eorns, red, fleshy, obconical or nearly globose, with an irregular deep furrow at the top,
whence the styles protrude. Flowers not seen.
N a t . O r d . X X V I I . M Y R T A C E Æ , B r .
Gen. I. METROSIDEROS, Br.
Calyx superas v. semisuperus; tubo tereti v. angulato; lobis 5, coucavis. deciduis persisteiitibusve.
Pelala 6, rotundata. Stamim perplurima; filamentis elongatis, capillaribus v. filiformibus ; antlieris parvis.
Ovarmm 3-loculare ; ovulis plurimis, ángulo superiore loculi pendulis ; stylo elongato, simplici, recto. Capsula
coriacea, calyce immersa v. semisupera, tubo calycis arete acereta v. solata, apice v. ad medium 3-
valvis, rarius lateraliter irregulariter rupta. Semiua plurima, linearia; testa reticulata.—Folla opposita.
Erect or scandent large trees or busbes, with opposite, entire, coriaceous leaves, covered with pellucid dots,
and generally very showy panicles or heads of red flowers crowned with long erect stamens. Calyx wholly or half
adnate with the ovarium, with a persistent thickened rim, and five rounded, persistent, or deciduous lobes. Petals
five, rounded. Stamens very numerous and long, forming a crown at the mouth of the calyx. Omry generally
three-celled ; ovules many, pendulous from the inner angles of the cells. Style one, simple, erect. Capsule coriaceous.
half or wholly enclosed in the calyx, thiee-celled, three-valved at the apex, or bursting irregularly ; seeds very
numerous, slender, linear or davate, reticulated, pale brown.—This genus belongs to a group of Myrtaceæ, including
400 to 500 species, aU but one of which are confined to the Old World; one alone being found in the New. in
South Chili : one is African (Cape of Good Hope), the rest are exclusively Australian, Malayan, and Pacific Islands
plants. Metrosideros itself is most abundant in New Zealand, and in forming climbing trees is quite exceptional in
the Order to which it belongs. (Name gyrpa, heart-wood, and o-iSypov. iron; from tbe hardness of the timber.)
§ a. Capsule indéhiscent, surrounded hy the calyx and croimed with its cup-shaped border.
I. Metrosideros yfunV/Uj Sm. ; scandens, glaberrima ramulisve teretibus puberulis, foliis (2 unc.)
petiolatis elliptico-oblongis obtusis nervis creberiimis, thyrso terminali ramoso, calyce turbinato angulato
lobis persistentibus, fructu crasso urceolato 6-costato, floribus magnis. Smith in Linn. Trans, v. i . p . 268.
De Cand. Prod/r. A. Bich. A. Cunn. Melaleuca florida et Leptospermum scandens, Parst. Tab. XV.
I I a b . Northern Island, and Middle Island, in forests. Bay of Islands, etc., frequent, Porsler, Cuu-
ninyham, etc.; Hutt Valley and Ship Cove, Lyall. Fl. December. Nat. names, “ Raka pika,” li. Cunn.;
" Rata,” Middle Island, ly a ll. (Cultivated in England.)
A stout-trunked plant, climbing the loftiest forest-trees. Branches round, with pale hark; branchlets puheru-
lotts. Leaves l i - S inches long, on short petioles, elliptie-oblong, blunt, with a stout costa and numerous horizontally
branching nerves. Flowers pink, with scarlet stamens, coUected into threes on a dichotomously branched,
many-flowered, terminal thyrsus, as large as a fist. Calyx obconic, angled, i inch long, mouth very open ; lobes
persistent. Stamens and style 1 inch long. Fruit an urceolate, turgid, thick, six-ribbed capsule, bursting irregularly
between the ribs (wliich are persistent), and crowned with the deep cup-shaped calyx-tube. Seeds^ very
numerous, linear. P l a t e XV. Fig. 1, ovarium ; 2, the same cut longitudinaUy ; 3, capsules ; 4, vertical section of
the same ; 5, a seed ;—all but fig. 3 magnified.
2. Metrosideros lucida, Menz. ; ramulis tetragonis glaberrimis sericeisve, foliis (2-3 unc.) breve
petiolatis elliptico-lanceolatis acuminatis in petiolum crassum angustatis coriaceis lucidis, floribus subses-
silibus V. thyrso terminali abbreviato trichotomo, calyce breviter obconico sericeo lobis persistentibus,
capsula coriacea breviter urceolata intus 3-valvi extus irregulariter rupta. A. Rich. Flor. A. Oinin. Frodr.
FL Antaret. v . l . p . 12. M. umbellata, Cav. DC. Prodr. Agalmauthus, Homli. et Jacg. Yoy. au Pole Sud.
Melaleuca, Forster.
H ab, Northern Island; ou the mountains, Colenso. Middle Island; abundant, Forster, LyaU, etc.
An erect, branclfing tree, with yellowish bark on the obscurely tetragonous branches. Very young leaves sUky,
old very coriaceous, elliptic-lanceolate, (2-3 inches.) acuminate, on short stout petioles. Flowers large, bright scarlet,
sessile at the end of the branches, or iu veiy short, thick-branched thyrsi. Calyx broadly obconic, (L inch long,)
silky ; lobes persistent. Stamens and style 1 inch long, scarlet. Fruit coriaceous, broadly urceolate. crowned
with a thick, short, cup-shaped calyx-tuhe, obscurely six-ribbed, bm-sting irregularly outside, but inwardly by three
capsular valves.—This forms the bulk of the timber in Lord Auckland’s Islands.
§ b. Capsule enclosed in the calyx, tchlcli is prolonged into a tube, bursting regularly into three valves.
3. Metrosideros albiflora, Sol. ; scandens, glaberrima, foliis (2-3 imc.) breve petiolatis elliptico-ovatis
lanceolatisve longe acuminatis coriaceis lucidis, thyrsis terminalibus pedunculatis trichotome ramosis multifloris,
capsulis (parvis) coriaceis 3-lobis 3-costatis tubo elongato lobisque calycis reflexis coronatis. Banks
et Sol. MSS. et Ic. Gcertner, v. l . p . 172. t. 34.. M. diffusa, A. Cunn. Prodr. Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 569.
H ab. Northern Island. Bay of Islands aud east coast. Banks and Solander, etc.
A stout-trunked climber, ascending lofty trees; everywhere perfectly smooth. Leaves ( l |- 3 inches) elliptical,
shortly petioled, acuminate, coriaceous, polished above. Thyrsi terminal, peduneled, l-J-4 inches long. Calyx
urceolate, 2-3 lines in length, with a long wide-mouthed tube and persistent refle.xed lobes. Petals white. Stamens
yellowish, f inch long. Capsules brown, coriaceous, ( i inch,) turgid, three-lobed, three-ribbed, bursting down their
whole length into three valves.
4". Metrosideros diffusa, Sm. ; scandens, vage divaricatim ramosa, ramis teretibus, ramulis thyrsoquc
puberulis glabratisve, foliis (|—1 unc.) breve petiolatis obloiigo-obovatis elliptico-oblongisve subacutis obtusisve,
thyrsis di-trichotome divaricatim ramosis terminalibus axillaribusve, floribus rubicundis breve pedicellatis,
calycis tubo basi elongato ovoideo in tubum liberum elongato-campanulatum producto, capsula
urceolata turgida tubo campanulato basi contracto coronata 3-costata ad basin 3-valvi. Smith in Linn. Soc.
Trans. M. myrtifolia, Banks et Sol. MSS. et Io. Gcertner. M. lucida, Linn.
H ab. Northern Island; frequent in woods, Banks and Solander, eie.
A large climbing shruh, with rooting branches. Leaves (1 inch long) on short petioles, oblong-elliptic or
ovate, blunt, quite smooth, strongly veined. Thyrsi terminal or lateral, peduneled or sessile, bi-tricbotomously
branched ; branches patent. Flowers scarlet, pedicellate. Calyx i inch, rather haiiy, narrow, oblong, with a veiy
broad campanulate five-lobed tube. Petals and filaments ( i inch) scarlet. Fruit a broadly obovate or oblong
coriaceous capsule, (A inch long,) broader than the campanulate calyx-tube which crowns it, three-ribbed, three-
valved to the base.
5. Metrosideros hjperiafolia, A. CuTin.; frutex scandens, divaricatim ramosus, ramulis gracilibus puberulis
4-gonis, foliis disticliis quasi pinnatis sessilibus (-^-f unc.) ovato-lanceolatis subacutis apiculatis subÍ!