13. C. spathulata, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 479.—A small sparingly branched shrub 2–5 ft. high, rarely more; branches slender, young ones puberulous. Leaves rather distant, variable in size, ½–1½ in. long; blade orbicular or broadly or transversely oblong, obtuse or retuse or emarginate, suddenly contracted into a narrow winged petiole longer or shorter than the blade, coriaceous, glossy; margins recurved; veins few. Stipules triangular, cuspidate. Flowers sessile, axillary, solitary or in 2–3-flowered fascicles. Males: Seated in an involucel composed of a pair of depauperated leaves and their stipules, drooping. Calyx deeply 4–5-lobed. Corolla campanulate, 15 in. long, 4–5-lobed to the middle, lobes revolute. Stamens usually 4. Females generally solitary, smaller and narrower than the males. Calyx-limb deeply 4-toothed, teeth acute. Corolla tubular, deeply 3–4-lobed. Drupe globose or nearly so, ¼ in. diam., black, very rarely red.—Raoul, Choix, 46; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 106; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 114; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. (1887) 237; Kirk, Students' Fl. 234.
North Island: Abundant in lowland forests from the North Cape to the Upper Waikato. August–September.
Allied to C. arborea, from which it is easily separated by the small size, straggling habit, smaller leaves on longer petioles, fewer flowers, and solitary black fruit. The leaves are often a bronzy colour, shining and polished on the upper surface.
14. C. rotundifolia, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 473.—A laxly branched shrub 4–12 ft. high; branches long and slender, widely spreading, irregularly and sparsely branched, the young ones densely pubescent or almost villous towards the tips; bark greyish-brown. Leaves distant, ¼–1 in. long, usually orbicular, but varying to broadly oblong or ovate-oblong, cuspidate or abruptly acute, rarely obtuse, thin and membranous, more or less pubescent and ciliate, especially on the margins and veins, finely reticulated; petioles short, villous. Flowers sessile, in axillary few- or many-flowered fascicles, rarely solitary. Males: Calyx wanting. Corolla 110 in. long, broadly campanulate, deeply 4-lobed. Female flowers smaller and narrower. Calyx-limb minutely 4-toothed. Corolla tubular, 3–4-lobed. Drupe globose or broader than long, often didymous, 16 in, diam., red.—Raoul, Choix, 46; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 108; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 114; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. (1887) 237; Kirk, Students Fl. 235. C. rufescens, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 261.
North and South Islands: Abundant in damp forests, by the side of rivers, &c. Sea-level to 2000 ft. September–October.
The spreading habit, broad membranous leaves, villous branchlets, small fascicled flowers, and small globose or didymous red drupes are the best marks of this common species. C. areolata is distinguished by its fastigiate habit, smaller acute leaves, and black drupe; C. tenuicaulis by being more glabrous, by the much smaller leaves, and by the black drupe; while C. rubra is at once
