pubescent or glabrate. Corolla-tube funnel-shaped, short and broad, not nearly equalling the calyx; limb deeply 4-lobed; lobes longer than the tube, oblong, acute or subacute. Capsule ⅙ in. long, ovate-oblong, acute, about twice as long as the calyx.—V. ligustrifolia var. acutiflora, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 192.
North Island: Auckland—Kerikeri Falls (Bay of Islands), Cunningham, Colenso! Kirk!
My knowledge of this is confined to a few specimens in Mr. Colenso's herbarium and two or three in Mr. Kirk's. Mr. Colenso's specimens have the pedicels and calyces nearly glabrate; in Mr. Kirk's they are softly pubescent. Mr. N. E. Brown informs me that they differ from the typical acutiflora in the rather shorter leaves, smaller flowers, and shorter calyx-segments; but I have little doubt but that they belong to that species. V. acutiflora is nearest to V. ligustrifolia, but is at once separated by the much narrower and longer leaves and different calyx.
15. V. angustifolia, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 187.—An erect much-branched glabrous shrub 5–8 ft. high; branches slender, erect, naked below, bark often purplish-brown. Leaves sessile, spreading or deflexed, 1½–3½ in. long, ⅙–¼ in. broad, narrow-linear or narrow linear-lanceolate, often falcate, acute, dark-green and channelled above, paler and keeled beneath, quite glabrous, margins entire. Racemes numerous near the tips of the branches, opposite and axillary, erect or spreading, longer than the leaves, 2–5 in. long, slender, tapering, usually rather lax-flowered; rhachis, pedicels, and bracts pubescent; pedicels short, slender. Flowers rather small, ⅙ in. diam., pale-lilac. Calyx very small, deeply 4-partite; segments oblong, obtuse, ciliate. Corolla-tube tubular, 2 or 3 times as long as the calyx; limb 4-lobed; lobes broadly oblong, obtuse. Capsule about ⅙ in. long, ovate, acute, compressed, about twice as long as the calyx.—Raoul, Choix, 43. V. squalida, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 528. V. parviflora var. angustifolia. Hook. f. in Bot. Mag. t. 5965.
North Island: Hawke's Bay, Colenso! H. Hill! South Island: Nelson and Marlborough, abundant, D'Urville, Buchanan! Travers! Kirk! T.F.C., &c. December–February.
Very near to V. parviflora, and chiefly separated by the smaller size, longer and often drooping leaves, longer and more lax-flowered racemes, and longer corolla-tube. Hooker's plate in the Botanical Magazine is excellent.
16. V. parviflora, Vahl. Symb. Bot. iii. 4.—A much-branched shrub or small tree 6–20 ft. high, with a rounded dome-shaped head; trunk sometimes 2 ft. diam. at the base; branches slender, twiggy, ringed with the scars of the fallen leaves. Leaves sessile, spreading or suberect, 1–2½ in. long, ⅙–¼ in. broad, narrow linear-lanceolate, acute, almost flat or channelled above, keeled beneath, quite smooth, margins entire. Racemes near the tips of the
