spinous. Leaves of mature plants erect, 3–6 in. long, ¼–¾ in. broad, linear-obovate, obtuse or apicuiate, gradually narrowed into a short stout petiole, very thick and coriaceous, entire or obscurely toothed near the tip. Umbels terminal; males of 6–10 slender rays bearing numerous racemose flowers; females of much shorter rays ending in 2–4-flowered umbellules. Stamens usually 4. Ovary 5-celled; styles 5, short, connate into a column. Fruit broadly oblong, large, ⅓ in. diam.—Students' Fl. 222. Panax ferox, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) app. xxxiv. P. crassifolium, Buch. l.c. ix. (1877) 529, t. 20 (not Dcne. and Planch.).
North Island: Between Whangape and Hokianga, Kirk! East Cape, Bishop Williams. South Island: Nelson—Wairoa, Hector and Kirk! Moutere and Matukituki, Kirk; Motueka Valley, T. F. C. Canterbury—Lake Forsyth, Kirk! Otago—Dunedin, Buchanan! Petrie! Otepopo and Lake Wakatipu, Petrie! Sea-level to 1500 ft.
Easily distinguished from P. crassifolium by the large and broad-hooked teeth of the deflexed leaves, by the slender racemes of the male flowers, and by the large fruit.
6. P. chathamicum, T. Kirk, Students Fl. 223.—A small tree 20–25 ft. high; branches stout. Leaves dimorphic, always simple; of young unbranched plants never deflexed, 2–6 in. long, ¾–1¼ in. broad, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, acute, coarsely or finely toothed towards the tip, membranous or slightly coriaceous; of mature plants 5–8 in. long, linear-obovate or oblanceolate, subacute obtuse or truncate at the apex, gradually narrowed into a short winged petiole, obscurely sinuate-dentate or with 2–3 coarse teeth near the apex. Umbels terminal: male very large, of 6–10 primary rays, each with 5–8 slender secondary ones 2–3 in. long, carrying crowded racemose flowers often mixed with small umbellules: female umbels smaller; rays 3–7, slender, 2–4 in. long, terminating in 6–10-flowered umbellules, with or without a few scattered flowers below. Stamens usually 4. Ovary 5-celled; styles 5, connate into a short truncate column. Fruit nearly globose, large, ⅓ in. diam., 5-celled, 5-seeded.
Chatham Islands: Enys! Cox! Hoho. February.
I have seen but few specimens of this, and have consequently availed myself largely of Kirk's description. The absence of deflexed leaves in the young state, the larger and broader leaves of the mature plant, and the large globose fruit at once separate it from P. crassifolium and P. ferox.
Order XXXV. CORNACEÆ.
Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite or alternate, usually entire; stipules wanting. Flowers generally small, regular, hermaphrodite or unisexual, in axillary or terminal cymes, panicles, or heads. Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary, limb 4–5-toothed or wanting. Petals 4–5 or wanting, inserted round the margin of an epigynous disc, valvate or imbricate. Stamens inserted with the petals and
