Flora of New Zealand Series

Much-branched, erect to low-growing, up to 2 m. tall; branches sub-divaricate to ascending, us. rigid, sts entangled; branchlets reddish brown, pubescent. Lvs opp. or in opp. fascicles on arrested branchlets, on petioles ± 2 mm. long. Lamina of 2 forms on different plants: (a) ± 5-7 × 4-5 mm., obovate to oblong, coriac., dark green; (b) ± 15 × 9 mm., of ovate to lanceolate order, less coriac., lighter green; margins distinctly serrate. Fls small, solitary or in small 3-6-fld cymes, pedicels short, pubescent. Sepals 4, oblong, pubescent; petals 4, slightly > sepals, us. with 1-4 crenate teeth. Stamens 4-6, anthers > filaments. Berry 3-4 mm. diam., globose, white, bright pink, dark red to black. Seeds 4-angled. Juvenile plants have narrow-lanceolate to ovate, acute to acuminate lvs; margins variously, us. deeply toothed.

DIST.: N., S., St. From 37° southwards, lowland to subalpine forest, shrubland and fellfield.

FL. 10-12. FT. 11-4.

A polymorphic sp., with apparently true-breeding as well as habitat-induced forms. The situation is further complicated by the abundance of hybrid forms.

Hooker's description includes: "fruticulus . . . rigidus . . . foliis . . . parvis coriaceis . . . obovatis ovatis oblongisve obtusis crenatis v. serratis . . . floribus . . . dioicis . . . pedunculis 1-3-floris . . . sepalis ovatis obtusis, petalis calyce aequilongis obovatis . . . staminibus 4-6 . . . bacca globosa 4-6-sperma . . ." He distinguishes:

"Var. α. suberecta; foliis 1 unc. longis coriaceis crenatis.

"Var. ß. erecta; foliis 1-11/2 unc. longis dentatis v. serratis minus coriaceis.

"Var. ?. prostrata; foliis parvis 1/4-1/2 unc. longis oblongis coriaceis.

"Var. δ. microphylla; suberecta, ramis divaricatis virgatis laxe foliosis, foliis parvis coriaceis obovato-spathulatis obtusis, baccis parvis.

"Hab. Northern and Middle Islands. Var. α and β. East Coast; Ruahine range, at a considerable elevation, Colenso. Var. γ. Milford Sound, Lyall; Nelson, Bidwill. Var. δ. Base of Tongariro, and at Tarawera, Colenso . . . Some of Mr. Colenso's specimens of var. β have the leaves more membranous, sharply serrate, and occasionally very irregularly lobed, resembling those of a starved plant of A. racemosa . . ."

Later (Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 33) he remarked: "I have made four varieties in the New Zealand flora, but they seem to be states determined by age and exposure, rather than hereditary races; of these the var. β is possibly a very small form of A. racemosa."

Buchanan (T.N.Z.I. 3, 1871, 209) described his A. erecta as "a small, rigid, erect, opposite-branched shrub tree, with reddish brown bark, ultimate twigs pubescent. Leaves on short pubescent petioles, erect, oblong lanceolate, 2-21/2 inches long, opposite, finely and regularly serrate, pubescent on midrib. Racemes ⅔ inch long, erect . . . peduncles, pedicels, and calyx pubescent. Flowers few . . . with large leafy bracts . . . petals of female flowers entire, sometimes lobed, a little longer than the woolly fringed sepals . . . Hab.-Lake District, Otago, 1200 ft. alt.; Wyndham, Otago, 800 ft. alt.; Patea, Wellington, 1000 ft. alt. Collected by John Buchanan in the South Island, and Dr. Hector in the North Island." He treats A. fruticosa as a sub-sp.

Colenso's description of his Myrsine brachyclada (T.N.Z.I. 22, 1839, 478) includes: "A small somewhat rigid much-branched shrub . . . Leaves sub-fascicled at tips of branchlets and at nodes, 4-5 together, spreading, obovate and oblong, 3-5 lines long, sub-membranous, glabrous, the upper portion crenate, tips very obtuse, crenulate with 2-3 notches, the lower margins . . . entire and slightly recurved . . . Flowers 3-4 together . . . 2 lines diam. . . . corolla lobes 5, cuneate . . . anthers 4 . . . Hab. Sides of Mount Tongariro . . . 1889: Mr. H. Hill." Based on 2 specimens.

Simpson and Thomson (T.R.S.N.Z. 73, 1947, 158) describe their A. fruticosa Hook. f. var. rigidula as: "A densely divaricating shrub up to 1 m. or more tall; branchlets . . . strongly reflexed, tapering to thorn-like tips. Leaves in fascicles of 2-4 . . . on juvenile or on adventitious shoots 2-3 cm. long, 1-1·5 cm. broad, ovate lanceolate or oblong lanceolate, irregularly and sharply serrate; adult leaves 1 cm. long, 5-8 mm. broad, broadly oblong or obovate, sometimes almost orbicular . . . Male flowers 3-6, 2 mm. diam. . . . Stamens 4-6 . . . Female flowers single . . . Berry globose, 5 mm. diam. . . . Habitat: exposed or stony slopes. Type specimens from Flagstaff Hill near Dunedin." The var. is apparently meant to include the most xeromorphic forms.

There is excellent field evidence that hybrid swarms originating from the crossing of A. fruticosa with A. serrata occur in both islands. A. colensoi (Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 33) is based on some of these forms. Allan (Genetica 9, 1927, 148-151) under the name × A. fruserrata, described and illustrated some of the multiplicity of forms found in swarms of this hybrid group in several parts of N.Z. He points out that both spp. tend to increase and form secondary communities where forest has been damaged or destroyed. Tracks in forests where both meet often have a margin of hybrid forms.