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[Mgrfaceæ.
membranaceis glaberrimis, thyrsis abbreviatis axillaiibns 8- 10-floris, fioribus parvis, calyce ovoideo tubo
late campanulato (sæpe deciduo) coronato, capsula parva globosa 3-loba 3-valvi. A. Cunn. Frodr. T a b . XVI.
Ha b . Northern and Middle Islauds ; common in woods. Bay of Islands, Cunningham, etc.; Akaroa,
liaoul; Chalky Bay, ly a ll. El. December.
A slender, twiggy, climbing shrub, with dichotomous divaricating branches, the ultimate ones tetragonous,
pubescent, appearing like pinnate leaves. Leaves ( i—| inch) membranous (for the genus), sessile, ovate, subacute,
with a short point. Thyrsi lateral or axillary, 1 inch long, with ten to twelve small pedicellate flowers, resembling
those of M. diffusa, but shorter and smaller, scarlet. CapsuU very small, globose, tbree-lobed, three-valved to the
Page.—This and the following are the smallest and most slender species of the genus. Plate XYI. Eig. 1, flower ;
2, section of ovarium ; 3, capsule ; 4, vertical section of the same ; 5, seed :—all i
6. Metrosideros Colensoi, Hook. fil. ; frutex scandens, gracilis, distiche ramosus, ramulis velutinis, foliis
( | - | unc.) distichis quasi pinnatis sessilibus ovato- v. oblongo-lanceolatis acutis pubescentibus v. glabratis
submembranaceis, thyrsis axillaribus lateralibusque rarius terminalibus pubescentibus, floribus parvis gracile
pedicellatis, calyce basi angusto iu tubum campanulatum producto, capsula submembranacea globosa pubescente
calycis tubo campanulato breviore ad basin 3-valvi.
H a b . Northern Island. Bay of Islands and east coast, Edgerley, Colenso, etc.
Very similar to the last, but readily distinguished by the shai-p leaves, tomentose ramuli, downy leaves, flowers,
and fruit, and larger capsules. Thè panicle is generally effuse, and inch long, but sometimes contracted.
§ c. Capsule surrounded helow the middle by the persistent calyx-tube ; the three valves ffee above.
7. Metrosideros robusta, A. Cunn.; arbor erecta, ramosa, ramulis 4-gonis puberulis, foliis (H unc.)
petiolatis elliptico-oblongis obovatisve obtusis coriaceis subaveniis reticularis, thyrsis terminalibus subtricho-
tome ramosis puberulis, calyce obconico v. infundibuliformi, capsulis oblongis obtusis calycis limbo incrassato
5-dentato medio cinctis superne 3-valvibus. A. Cunn. Frodr. M. florida, Hooh. Bot. Mag. t. 4471.
T a b . XVII.
H a b . Northern Island, especially near the sea-coast ; abundant about the Bay of Islands, Cunningham,
etc. Noi. n d i m è , Cunningham. (Cultivated in England.)
A tall tree, 60-80 feet high, branching above, erect, never scandent; wood hard, close-gi-ained, successfully
employed for ship-building. Leaves (l^inch) on short petioles, elliptic-oblong or obovate, smooth, coriaceous,
blunt, minutely reticulated with mauy nerves. Thyrsi broad, terminal, of many handsome scarlet flowers ; branches
and peduncles stout, angled, and calyx pubescent. Calyx obconic, five-toothed. Petals and stamens (^ inch)
scarlet. Fruit an oblong, often pubescent capsule, (1 - ^ iuch long,) encircled at the middle by the coriaceous thick
rim of the calyx; valves three, blunt, free.—Very similar to the M.florida, but flowers a deeper scarlet, and the
fruit widely difi'erent. Plate XVII. Fig. 1, petal; 2, vertical section of germen ; 3, capsule; 4, vertical section of
the same ; 5, seed :—all magnified.
8. Metrosideros tomentosa, A. Cunn.; arbor robusta, ramulis (crassis) foliis subtus inflorescentiaque
dense albido-velutino-tomentosis, foliis valde coriaceis (3-4 unc.) elliptico-lanceolatis rarius late ovatis acutis
valide petiolatis marginibus recurvis, thyrsis breve pedunculatis multifloris, floribus ternis sessilibus calycis
tubo brevi obconico, capsula sublignosa medio calycis tubo incrassato cincta apice 3-valvi. A. Bich. Flora.
A. Cunn. Frod/r. M. excelsa. Banks et Sol. MSS.
Ha b . Rocky coasts, etc., of the Northern Island ; Banks and Solander, etc. EL December.
Nat. name, “ Polmtu-Kawa," Cunningham. (Cultivated in England.)
A common, and, when in flower, very handsome, small, stout, branching tree, 30-40 feet high, Branches thick,
: f
round, woody; leaves below and inflorescence densely covered with a white velvety tomentum. Leaves very coriaceous,
elliptic, (3-4 inches long,) reticulately veined above. Thyrsi terminal, of many scarlet flowers. Capsule large,
^ inch long, woody, surrounded at the middle by the thick calyx-tube.
9. Metrosideros scandens. Banks et Sol. ; arbor alte scandens, dicliotome ramosa, ramulis densifoliis
foliis subtus pedunculisque birto-pubescentibus, foliis parvis (A unc.) distichis brevissime petiolatis ellip-
tieo-oblongis rotundatisve basi rotundatis v. cordatis obtusis coriaceis super lucidis subter 3-nerviis punctatis,
thyrsis teiLinalibus subtrichotomis 6- 8-floris, calycibns turbiiiatis gdaberrimis, capsulis parvis globosis
calycis persistentis tubo 5-dentato ad medium cinctis S-valvibus. Banks et Sol. MSS. et Ic. Gærtner, ®. 1.
t. 34. M. perforata, A. Bich. Flora. A. Oann. Frodr. M. buxifolia, A. Gann. Prodr. Hook. Bot. Mag.
Melaleuca el Leptospermum perforatum, Forst.
Hab. Northern and Middle Islands, Forster, Banks and Solander, etc. Common in tbe forests. Fl.
December. Nat. name, “ Aka,” Cunningham. (Cultivated iu England.)
Cunningham’s name of ilf. iuxi/olia is very applicable, hut the plant he describes is clearly identical with
M. scandais.— k climbing large shrab or small tree, with very leafy dichotomous pubescent branches. Leaves
distichous, almost sessfle, uniform in size (A inch), broadly elliptical-ovate, oblong or rounded, very coriaceous,
with recurved margins, glossy above, paler, three-nerved, jmnctate and hairy below. Thyrsi of six to eight white
siuaU flowers, terminal ; peduncles aud pedicels pubescent. Calyx quite smooth aud glossy. Stamens | inch long.
Capsule size of that of.«", ligpericifolia, globose.—Wood hard, heavy, handsome.
Ob s. Metrosideros? salicifolia, A. Cunn., is partly an Oka, and partly Mida salici/olia, according to his ori-
ginal specimens in Herb. Heward.
Gen. II . LEPTOSPERMUM, Forst.
Calycis tubus tm-binatus ; lobis 5, valvatis. Petala 5, rotundata, concava. Stamina numerosissima,
petalis breviora. O n anm iiifemm, 4-5-loculare; ovulis perplurimis, pendulis; stylo elongato,recto. Capsula
coriacea v. lignosa, 4-5-locularis, tiu’binata, apice 4—5-valvis. Semina perplurima, linearia. Foha
alterna v. fascicvdata.
White-flowered shrubs, with fasciculate branches, and small, dotted, coriaceous, altemate leaves. Ftoicers
axillary, solitary or fascicled, shortly pedicellate. Calyx tube turbinate, five-lobed; lobes valvate. Petals five,
rounded, concave. Stamens iiiunerous, shoi’ter thau the petals. Style filiform ; stigma capitate. Capsule four- to
five-celled, four'- to five-valved, coriaceous or woody, bui'sting at the top ; seeds very numerous, linear, pendulous from
the upper angle of the cell.—A large genus of shrubs aud small trees, confined to Australia, New Zealand, and
the Malay Islauds; in the latter locality very few species are found, and those on the mountains only. The
species are very variable and diiflcult of discrimination ; even the two New Zealand ones, though distinct from one
another, run into varieties which are often taken for new species. (Name from Htitos, slender, and o-irfpfia, a seed.)
1. Leptospermum scoparium, Forst.; fmticosum, erectum (montibus prostratum), ramulis angulatis
novcllis foliisque junioribus sericeo-pubescentibus, foliis brevissime petiolatis (2-5 lin.) patulis v. recurvis orbicularis
V. ovatis V. lineari-lanceolatis linearibusve acuminatis pungentibus concavis rigide coriaceis enerviis
punctatis, floribus axillaribus v. ramulis brevissimis terminalibus sessilibus, calyce brevi turbinato glabro
lobis deciduis rotundatis, capsula Lignosa calyce semi-immersa apice 5-valvi. Forst. Gezi. Smith, Tram.
Linn. Soc. BC. Prodr. A. Rich. Flor. A. Cunn. Prodr.
Yar. a. scoparium; erectum, foliis lanceolatis. L. scoparium, Forst.
Yar. /3. linifolium; erectum, foliis anguste lineari-lanceolatis. L. squarrosum, Gartner, v. l . p . 174.
A^ar. <y. myrtifolium; erectum, foliis ovatis patulis v. recurvis.
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