Flora of New Zealand Series

manuka

Shrub of diverse habit, or tree up to c. 4 m high. Bark shedding in long strips. Branchlets and young lvs ± clothed in silky hairs. Lvs subsessile, ± 4-12-(20) × 1-4 mm, of 2 main forms on different plants, narrow-lanceolate or ovate, coriaceous, rigid, acute, pungent, erect to patent. Fls axillary, or occasionally terminal on branchlets, ± sessile, usually solitary. Hypanthium broadly turbinate; calyx lobes ± triangular, caducous. Petals c. 6 mm long, ± suborbicular, usually white, rarely pink, patent. Stamens c. 20, < to slightly > style; filaments much more slender than style. Ovary apex glabrous. Capsule 5-celled, 3-7 × 4-10 mm, woody, long-persistent, distinctly exserted beyond receptacle rim.

N.; S.; St.; Ch.

Endemic.

Lowland to subalpine areas in various habitats, especially open slopes, river banks, forest margins, and scrub, where it often forms the dominant vegetation.

FL Sep-Mar.

Allan (1961) accepted  var. incanum Cockayne from northern N. Auckland, but the earlier var. linifolium Hook. f. may be the correct name for this plant. It has grey lvs and pink fls and is extensively cultivated; it has given rise to a number of cvs, but there is no clear separation between  var. incanum and typical L. scoparium. Populations of  var. scoparium from around 38° southward have shorter, more ovate lvs.