104
til mauy cases afford but indifferent characters ; the berries vary extremely in size according to situation and moisture,
as do the leaves in size and form, and the plant iu habit. It is certainly the most variable and difficult New Zealand
genus, much more so than Epilobium, Pimelea, or Alseuosmia, and is far more abundant than these. Some species
are intolerably fcetid after being gathered ; none are beautiful except iu foliage, and I am not aware of their being
applied to any use whatever. I am far from being certain that I have referred in all cases Mr. Cunningham’s names
to the plants he intends; his descriptions are insufficient and inaccurate, and the species in his herbarium have
been mixed by himself, aud do not tally well with his own descriptions. (Name from the abominable stench of
some species.)
§ a. Shrubs or small trees. Leaves large, more than 1 inch long. Flowers crowded upon axillary, more or less
elongated peduncles (peduncles often veiy short in C. robnsta).
1. Coprosma lucida, Eorst. j arbuscula dioica, glaberrima, foliis (4-6 unc.) coriaceis longe petiolatis
elliptico-ovatis obovatisve lanceolatisve acuminatis siccitate viridibus, pedunculis subsimplicibus articulatis
elongatis, floribus sessilibus, calyce truncato obscure 5-lobo, fl. $ dense capitatis, corolla infra medium 5-loba,
staminibus 5, fl. $ sæpius ternis, corollæ lobis lineari-oblongis patulis, stylis longissimis, seminibus late
oblongis. Forst. Frodr. DC. Prodr. v. 4. p. 578. A. Eich.Flora. A. Cunn. Frodr. Pelaphia laurifoiia,
Banks et Sol. MSS.
H a b . Throughout the Islands; abundant, etc. Nat. names, “ Karamu" and “ Karangu,”
Colenso. (Cultivated in England.)
A handsome, small, leafy tree, everywhere quite smooth. Leaves coriaceous, 3-6 inches long, narrowed into
long petioles (4- f inch), lanceolate, oblong-obovate, or broadly obovate, acuminate or acute, rarely blunt, yellow-
green when dry, with reticulated veins. Stipules very broad, with short abrupt ovate tips. Peduncles longer than
the petioles, jointed twice or thrice, stipulate at the joints, and bearing fascicles of sessile flowers. Calyx tube
truncate, obscurely five-toothed. Corolla campanulate ; tube variable in length, five-lobed ; lobes linear-oblong.
Stamens five. Styles very long (4 inch). Beiry 4 inch long ; seeds broadly elliptical, oblong.—I take this and the
following to be truly dioecious plants; the fruit is edible.
2. Coprosma grandifolia, Hook. fil. ; arbuscula glaberrima, foliis longe petiolatis 4 -8 unc. longis amplis
submembranaceis late elliptico- v. oblongo-lanceolatis acutis apiculatisve, pedunculis elongatis trichotome
ramosis, floribus capitatis, calyce 5-dentato S' parvo, corolla elongato-campanulata 4-fida, staminibus 4,
baccis ovoideis, seminibus elongato- v. eUiptico-oblongis. Pelaphia læta et P. grandifolia, Banks et Sol. 3ISS.
et Ic. Ronabea australis, A. Rich. Flora.
H a b . Northern and Middle Islands ; abundant. Banks and Solander, etc.
Closely allied to the preceding species, but very distinct, and to be recognized by the very large, broader,
more membranous leaves, often 7 inches long, with slender petioles 1 inch long. Peduncles slender, tricbotomous,
the branches bearing heads of large sessile flowers. Calyx distinctly five-toothed, very small in the male flowers.
Corolla large, 4 inch long, campanulate, four-lobed. Berries variable in size and form. Seed generally longer than
in C. lucida.
3. Coprosma Baueriana, Endl. ; fruticosa v. arbuscula glaberrima v. apicibus ramulorum puberulis,
ramis crassis, foliis petiolatis 4—2-unciaHbus late obovatis oblongo-rotundatisve apice rotundatis retusis
apiculatisve coriaceo-subcarnosis siccitate atris marginibus recurvis, pedunculis breviuscuhs simpbcibus ra-
mosisve, calyce brevissimo obscure 4-lobo, coroUa 4-loba tubo brevi lobis oblongis, staminibus 4, stylis
robustis, baccis late obovatis turbinatisve. Endl. Iconograph. t. iii. C. lucida, Endl. Prodr. Flora Norf.
Isl. p . 60. C. retusa, Nohis in Lond. Journ. Bot. v. 3. p. 416. Pelaphia retusa, Banks et Sol. MSS. et Ic.
H a b . Northern Island, and northern parts of Middle Island. Bay of Islands; generally near the
sea, Sinclair, etc. Massacre Bay, Lyall.
A low, branching, small tree or large shrub, with stout, thick, whitish branches, aud very broad, often fleshy,
leaves, which vary a good deal in texture, and are black when dry. Leaves 14 inch long, seldom 2 inches, often
much smaUer, suddenly contracted into short thick petioles, broadly oblong, rounded or obovate, with recurved
margins, tliick veins, and a rounded or retuse apiculate upper extremity. Peduncles stout, simple or rarely
branched, shorter than the petioles. Fl-owers densely capitate; heads unisexual, dioecious? of veiy many sessUe
flowers. Calyx obscurely four-lobed, veiy inconspicuous. Corolla with a short tube, and four spreading oblong
lobes. Stamens four ; anthei-s broadly oblong ; filaments stout. SUjles stout. Berry generally obovate, the seeds
obscurely thickened or keeled at the back.—The New Zealand specimens are of a much more succulent and stout
habit than those of Norfolk Island ; but I find no difference in the flowers or fruit, which latter varies extremely in
size, from that of a large pea to a small pepper-coni.
4. Coprosma robnsta, Raoul; frutex v. arbuscula glaberrima ramosa foliosa, foliis 2-3 unc. longis
petiolatis ovalibus elliptico-oblongis lanceolato-ellipticisve acutis valde coriaceis siccitate atro-fuscis, pedun-
culis brevibus robustis articulatis, floribus plm-imis confertis, calycis limbo brevissimo obscure 4-lobo,
corolla breviter campanulata 4-loba, baccis confertis. Raoiil, Choix de Plantes, p. 23. t. 21. C. foetidis-
sima, A. Cunn. Prodr. pro parte.
H a b . Throughout the Islands, abundant; from the Bay of Islauds, Cunningham (sub nom. C. lucida),
etc., to Akaroa, Raoul. (Cultivated in England.)
A large, leafy, erect, stout, woody shrub, everywhere quite smooth and glossy. Leaves 2-3 inches long, very
coriaceous, dark brown when diy, on short petioles, generally elliptical oblong, but often elliptic lanceolate or
obovate oblong, blunt or acute. Stipules broadly triangular. Peduncles rarely longer than the petioles, stout,
jointed, seldom branched, with connate stipules at the joints, as in all the species. Flowers densely crowded ut
the joints, sessile, forming together heads 4 inch across. Calyx-limb very short, truncate, obscurely four-lobed.
Corolla campanulate, four-lobed above the middle, 2-3 lines long. Anthers linear-oblong. Styles slender. Bei'ries
tbe size of a large pepper-corn, bright red, very crowded. Seeds usually long, elliptical oblong.—A veiy distinct
species, as are the three preceding, though each is so variable in itself, that it is uot easy to distinguish one till
familiar with the rest.
§ b. Ei'eet, seldom prostrate shrubs or small trees. Leaves small {seldom 1 inch long), broad. Flowers sessile
or nearly so, solitaiy or feio together. {In C. foetidissima the leaves are sometimes narrow, and 14 inch
long : in C. spathulata the leaves are often larger. For C. propmqua and cuneata, see the following section.)
5. Coprosma foetidissima, Eorst.; frutex v. arbuscula ubique glaberrima, ramis cortice pallido ramulisque
ultimis glaberrimis, stipulis late ovatis acutis sæpe apice subulatis submembranaceis deciduis, foliis
( i_ lx unc.) angnste v. late obovatis oblongisve obtusis acutisve in petiolum sublongum angustatis, floribus
magnis sessilibus solitariis ; d cnb minimo truncato obscure 4-lobo, corolla tubuloso-campanulata (4 unc.)
4-8-fida lobis erectis, stamina sub-5, antheris lineari-elongatis corollæ æquilongis; $ cal. ore truncato
obscure 4-Iobo, corolla campanulata infra medinm 4-fida lobis linearibns recurvis marginibus papillosis,
stigmatibus crassis f unc. longis, baccis carnosis rubris. Forst. Frodr. BC. Frodr. A. Rich. Flora. Fl.
Antaret. p . 20. t. 13.
Var. /3 ; foliis elliptico-lanceolatis acutis. C. afilnis, Fl. Antaret.
Var. 7 ; foliis anguste lanceolato-oblongis, ramis decumbentibus prostratisve. C. ? repens, A. Rich.
Fl. Nov. Zeal. ?
Var. 8 ; parvula, ramis gracilibus, foliis 4—î longis.
H a b . Mountains of the Northern Island, Colenso. Abundant in the Middle and Southern Islands,
Forster, eto. Nat. names, “ Karamu” and “ Karangu,” Colenso.
A plant chiefly of the Middle and Southern Islands, which may almost be identified by its abominable smell
2 c
b