m .
Nat. Ord. XLIL CAPRIFOLIACEÆ,
Gen. I . A L SEU OSM IA, fr. Cirnn.
Calycis tu b u s ovario ad n a tu s; limbo 4 -5 -p a rtito , deciduo, valvato. tubuloso-infundibuliformis ;
tu b o elongato ; limbi laciniis 4 - 5 , patentibus, margine dentatis v. fimbriatis, valvatis. Stamina 4 - 5 , fauce
in serta; filamentis brevibus ; antberis oblongis. Cvarium ovoideum, disco planiusculo coronatum, 2-loculare ;
ovulis 2 - 5 , axi affixis; stylo gracili, ex serto ; stigmate clavato v. capitato, obscure 2-lobo. Bacca ovoidea
V. obovata, disco coronata, 2-loculañs ; loculis 1-2 -sp ermis. Semina albuminosa, oblonga, latere affixa ; testa
fusca, coriácea, reticulata ; albumen carnosum ; embryo rectus, radicula te reti, hilo proxima, cotyledonibus
paulo dilatatis, plano-convexis.— Ei’utices, fo l iis ex stipulatis oppositis polymorphis ; floribus axillaribus
solitariis fa sc icu la tis v , subracemosis.
A genus confined to New Zealand, of erect, branching, smooth shrubs, closely allied to the Honeysuckle, and as
sweetly scented. Leaves alternate, exstipulate, petioled, extremely variable in shape in all the species, membranous,
entire or sinuate. Flowers nodding, axillary, long, green, solitary or fasciculate, rarely racemose, on short curved
bracteolate pedicels. Calyx tube united with the ovoid ovary ; limb of four to five small deciduous pieces. Corolla
funnel-shaped, with a very long tube, and four to five spreading toothed or fimbriate lobes. Stamens five ; filaments
short, inserted at the mouth of the corolla. Style very long, arising from a small disc, which crowns tlie bilocular
ovarium. Berry ovoid or obovate, pulpy, crowned with a circular disc, two-celled ; one to two albuminous seeds in
each cell.—This curious genus differs from others of the Order Caprifoliaceæ in having alternate leaves. The species
do not spread south much beyond Auckland, and all vary extremely in the foliage. (Name from aXo-of, a grove, and
à)0(T/i,ta, a sweet smell ; in allusion to the delicious odour of the flowers.)
1. Alseuosmia macropliylla, A. C u n n .; glaberrima, foliis 3 - 7 -uncialibus oblongis obovatisve obtusis
integerrimis sinuato-dentatisve, floribus magnis plerumque 5-meris, fructibus ovoideis 2-locularibus polyspermis.
A . Cunn. Frodr. T a b . X X I I I .
H a b . N o rth e rn Island. Bay of Islands, Auckland, etc., A . Cunningham, Sinclair, etc.
By fiir the largest species of the genus, forming a shrub 6-8 feet high, with oblong, obovate, or obovate-lan-
ceolate, or linear-oblong, entire or sinuato-dentate leaves, 3 -7 inches long. Flowers 1 inch long, with usually five
calyx lobes, and as many stamens and segments of the corolla, tbe latter with incurved fimbriate margins. Berry
many-seeded.—The size of the flower affords the best character.—P l a t e XXIII. Fig. 1, flower ; 2, the same with
corolla laid open ; 3, transverse section of ovary ; 4, ripe fruit ; 5, transverse section of fruit ; 6, seed; 7, the same
cut vertically :— all but fig. 4 magnified.
2. Alseuosmia quercifolia, A. C u n n .; ramulis glabratis puberulisve, foliis ovatis ovato-oblongis lineari-
oblongisve integerrimis v. sinuato-lobatis 1-3-u n cialib u s, floribus 4-meris mediocribus 4-uncialibus, bracteolis
ciliato-pilosis, baccis oligospermis. A. quercifolia et A. Ilex, A . Cunn. Frodr.
H a b . N o rth e rn Islan d . Bay of Islands, etc., A . Cunningham.
Never so large a plant as A . macropkylla, either in foliage, flower, or fruit, but more variable in size and form
of the leaf, insomuch so, that I have doubted the two following proving distinct from this. Branches smooth or
pubescent. Leaves 1-3 inches long, linear-oblong or obovate, or broadly oblong, quite entire or sinuate-dentate,
or lobed like English oak-leaf. Flowers 4 inch long. Bracteolæ with red-brown hairs. Lobes of calyx and corolla
usually four, the latter toothed. Seeds generally few in each cell.
3. Alseuosmia B a n k sii, A. Cunn. ; ramulis pubescentibus gracilibus, foliis polymorphis 4 -2-uncialibus
longiuscule petiolatis obovatis rhombeisve grosse sinuato-dentatis lobatisve, bracteolis ciliato-pilosis, floribus
4 - 4 uncialibus 4-meris, baccis tu rb in atis oligospermis. A. Banksii, A. atriplicifolia, et A. palæformis,
A . Cunn. Frodr. Fagoides triloba. B a n k s et Sol. MS S . et Ic. T a b . X X IV .
H a b . N o rth e rn Islan d . E a s t coast an d Bay of Islands, Ba n k s a n d Solander, A. Cunningham, Colenso.
(Cultivated in England.)
A small shrub, 2-5 feet high, with slender, twiggy, slightly hairy branches. Leaves extremely variable, ou
rather long petioles, linear-obovate, oblong, rhomboid, 4 -2 inches long, variously toothed, sinuate or lobed.
Flowers like those of A. quercifolia, but generally smaller, 4~4 inch long. Berries broad, turbinate or ovoid ; cells
with one or few seeds.—P l a t e XXIV. Fig. 1, flower; 2, the same with the corolla laid open ; 3, transverse section
of ovary ; 4, fmit ; 5, transverse, and 6, vertical section of fruit ; 7, seed ; 8, vertical section of seed -.— all magnified.
4. Alseuosmia lin a riifo lia , A. Cunn. ; fruticulus erectus, virgatus, ramulis puberulis, foliis (1 -1 4 nnc.)
anguste lineari-lanceolatis oblongisve integerrimis sinuato-dentatisve, floribus parvis (4~4 nuc.) 4-meris,
baccis la te ovatis tu rb in atisv e oligospermis. A . Cunn. Frodr. T a b . X XV .
Var. /S. lig u strifo lia ; foliis majoribus lineari-oblongis. A. bgustrifolia, A . Cunn. F ro d r.— Ad A . querci-
fo lia m approximat.
H a b . N o rth e rn Islan d . Bay of Islan d s, A . Cunningham, etc.
A small species much resembling broad-leaved states of Fitiosporum pimeleoides. Branches slender, pubescent.
Leaves 1 -1 4 inch long, very narrow, hnear-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, quite entire or obscurely toothed ; in var- /3
linear-oblong. Flowers small, 4~4 long. Bracteolæ with dark brown hairs. Calyx and corolla five-lobed, the
latter obscurely toothed on the lobes. Berry rounded or timbinate, few-seeded.—P l a t e XXV. B. var. ligustrifolia
—natural size. Fig. 1, flower ; 2, tbe same with the corolla laid open ; 3, transverse section of ovary ; 4, berry ; 5,
transverse section of b e n y ; 6, seed; 7, vertical section of seed :—all magnified.
N a t. Ord. X L III. RUBIACEÆ, Jum.
Gen. I . COPROSMA, Forst.
Flores diclines v. polygami. tu b u s ovatus ; limbo supero 4 -5 -d e n ta to . Corolla tu bulosa v.
subcampanulata; tu b o recto v. curvo; limbo 5 -9 -lo b o . 4 - 9 , imo corollæ inserta; filamentis exsertis;
antheris lineari-oblongis, connectivo u ltra loculos producto. Ovarium 2 -3 -lo c u la re ; loculis 1-ovula tis;
stylis 2, filiformibus, elongatis, exsertis, iindique piloso-stigmatiferis. Bacca ovoidea v. globosa, pulposa.
Semina 2 (rarius plu ra ), plano-convexa. Fmbryo axi albuminis cornei o rth o tro p u s; radicula te reti, hilo
p ro x im a; cotyledonibus foliaceis.—F ru tic e s sempervirentes habitu varii. Flores virides, sessilesv.pedicellati,
solitarii, pedunculis [ramis floriferis) elongatis ramosis sæpius sessiles. Baccæ ruhræ, sæpe edules.
A very large New Zealand genus of creeping or erect, usually smooth shrubs and small trees, often of foetid
odour, with bright evergreen leaves, deciduous stipules, and inconspicuous, sessile or pedunculate, hermaphrodite,
monoecious or dioecious, solitary or crowded greenish flowers. Calyx tube united to tbe ovarium ; limb four- to six-
toothed or lobed, or wanting ; connate bracts often form a cup immediately below the male flowers, resembling a
calyx (as in C. rhamnoides, etc.). Corolla elongated, tubular or somewhat bell-shaped, with four to nine erecto-
patent lobes. Stamens four to nine, inserted into tbe base of the corolla ; filaments long, exserted ; anthers large,
linear-oblong, the connectivum usually produced beyond the cells into a little claw. Ovary two-celled (rarely four-
celled), with an erect ovule in each cell. Styles two, exserted, filiform, pubescent. Berry round or ovoid, rarely
didymous, very fleshy, with two (rarely more) plauo-convcx seeds, placed face to face (like coffee berries).—This
curious genus is extremely abundant throughout New Zealand, and comparatively so in Norfolk Island, Tasmania,
and the South Sea Islands, but no species have been found elsewhere ; they are so variable, that I quite despair of reducing
them to anything like proper order ; they are most frequently dioecious, and the inconspicuous green flowers in
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