4. P. crassifolium, C. Koch in Wochenschrift, ii. (1859) 336.—A small round-headed tree 20–50 ft. high; trunk naked below, 9–l8 in. diam. Leaves excessively variable, differing greatly at various stages of growth, the following being the chief forms: (1) of seedlings, rhomboid to ovate-lanceolate, cuneate at the base, coarsely toothed or lobed, membranous; (2) of young unbranched plants, deflexed, very narrow linear, 6–36 in. long, ¼–½ in. wide, remotely and acutely toothed, excessively rigid and coriaceous, dull-green above, often purplish below; (3) in a more advanced stage, during which the stem commences to branch and flowers may appear, the leaves are erect or spreading, and may be either (a) 1-foliolate, 6–12 in. long, ½–1½ in. wide, linear or linear-obovate, coarsely and acutely toothed, very coriaceous; or (b) 3–5-foliolate with sessile leaflets 6–12 in. long by ½–¾ in. wide, coarsely and remotely toothed; (4) in the mature stage the leaves are 1-foliolate, 3–8 in. long, 1–1½ in. wide, linear to linear-oblong or linear-obovate, obtuse or subacute, narrowed into stout petioles ½–1 in. long, entire, sinuate-serrate or coarsely toothed at the tip. Umbels terminal, compound; primary rays 4–10, 2–3 in. long; secondary 4–10, ½–1 in. long; flowers racemose or umbelled; pedicels short. Ovary 5-celled or rarely 4-celled by abortion; styles the same number as the cells, connate into a cone. Fruit globose, 15 in. diam.—Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 38, 38a, 38b, 38c, 38d; Students' Fl. 222. Aralia crassifolia, Sol. ex A. Cunn. Precur. n. 514; Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 583, 584; Raoul, Choix, 46; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 96. Panax crassifoliiim, Dcne. and Planch. in Rev. Hort. (1854) 105; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 101; Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) app. xxxiii. P. longissinmm, Hook. f. l.c. 102. P. coriaceum, Regel in Gartenfl. (1859) 45. Hedera crassifolia, A. Gray, Bot. U.S. Expl. Exped. 719.
Var. a, unifoliolatum, Kirk, Forest Fl. 61.—Leaves of the third stage 1-foliolate.
Var. b, trifollolatum, Kirk, l.c.—Leaves of the third stage 3–5-foliolate.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Var. a abundant from Auckland southwards; var. b from the North Cape to Hawke's Bay and Taranaki. Sea-level to 2000 ft. Horoeka; Hohoeka; Lancewood. February–April.
Remarkable for its singularly protean foliage. For a detailed account reference should be made to Kirk's "Forest Flora," pp. 59 to 62; and to a paper by the same botanist in the "Transactions of the New Zealand Institute," vol. X. app. xxxi.
5. P. ferox, T. Kirk, Forest Fl. 35, t. 23, 24, 25, 26.—A small slender tree 12–20 ft. high; trunk 6–12 in. diam. Leaves very variable, but always simple; of seedlings narrow linear-lanceolate; of young unbranched plants deflexed, 12–18 in. long, ½–1 in. wide, narrow-linear, slightly enlarged at the tip, gradually narrowed mto a short stout petiole, excessively thick and coriaceous, rigid, coarsely and irregularly lobulate-dentate; teeth large, acute, hooked, almost
