Var. longiusculus.—Leaves usually larger, ½–1 in., oblong-obovate. Flowers on longer pedicels. Fruit small, globose, 18–16 in.
Var. microphyllus.—Leaves smaller, 1⁄5–1⁄2 in., orbicular-obovate. Pedicels shorter. Fruit large, ovoid, 16–14 in.—M. microphyllus, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. (1887) 260, and xx. (1888) 189.
North and South Islands: Abundant in lowland forests, by the side of streams, &c., from the Bay of Islands to Otago. November–May.
Easily distinguished from all other species of Melicytus by the stiff rigid habit, small leaves, and minute few-seeded berries. It is exceedingly variable; and the two varieties characterized above are certainly connected by intermediate forms. I am much indebted to Mr. Carse for a fine series of flowering and fruiting specimens of both varieties, collected near Mauku, where they appear to grow intermixed. Mr. Colenso's herbarium also contains numerous well-selected specimens.
3. HYMENANTHERA, R. Br.
Rigid woody shrubs. Leaves alternate or fascicled, entire or toothed; stipules minute, fugacious. Plowers small, regular, hermaphrodite or unisexual, solitary or fascicled, axillary or on the naked branches below the leaves. Sepals 5, obtuse, united at the base. Petals 5, rounded at the tip. Anthers 5, sessile, connate into a tube surrounding the pistil; connectives terminating in a toothed or fimbriate process, and furnished with an erect scale at the back. Style short; stigma 2-fid, rarely 3–4-fid. Fruit a small subglobose berry; seeds usually 2, rarely 3–4.
A small genus of about half & dozen species, found in New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania, and Norfolk Island. The New Zealand species are exceedingly difficult of discrimination. They vary greatly in the leaves and vegetative characters generally; and the flowers and fruit, so far as they are known, are very similar in all. Most of them occur in localities which are not easily reached, making it difficult to secure specimens in a proper state for comparison.
| Much-branched rigid maritime shrub. Leaves small, linear-spathulate or linear-obovate, 18–1 in. long | 1. H. crassifolia. |
| Shrub, often leafless. Branches flexuous or zigzag, interlaced. Leaves linear or linear-cuneate, ¼–¾ in. long | 2. H. dentata, var. angustifolia. |
| Slender glabrous shrub. Leaves oblong-obovate, ¾–2 in. long, quite entire. Flowers solitary or geminate | 3. H. obovata. |
| Stout spreading shrub. Leaves large, 1½–4 in., ovate-oblong to obovate, sinuate-toothed. Flowers numerous. Berry 2-seeded | 4. H. latifolia. |
| Tall erect shrub. Leaves large, 3–5 in., lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, serrate. Flowers numerous. Berry 4-seeded | 5. H. chathamica. |
1. H. crassifolia, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 17, t. 7.—A low rigid much-branched shrub 2–4 ft. in height; branches tortuous, stout and woody; bark white, furrowed; branchlets pubescent. Leaves alternate or fascicled, very thick and coriaceous, ⅓–1½ in. long, linear-spathulate or linear-obovate, entire sinuate or toothed, rarely lobed, rounded at the apex or retuse; petioles very short. Stipules minute, fugacious. Flowers very small, solitary or few together,
