Flora of New Zealand Series

Karo.

Original localities: Flat Id (Cavallos Is) and Matauri on the opposite coast. Type: BM, "1833, R. Cunningham".

Shrub or tree up to 9 m. tall, bark dark brown; branches erect to ascending, sts almost fastigiate; branchlets, lvs below, petioles and peduncles densely clad in white to buff subappressed tomentum (sts ferruginous in aged herbarium specimens). Lvs alt., very coriac., lamina 5-7-(10) × 2-2.5 cm., on stout petioles up to 2 cm. long, obovate-cuneate to obovate-elliptic to narrow-obovate, margins revolute. Fls functionally unisexual, in terminal umbels of 5-10 ♂ or 1-2 ♀. Sepals subulate to oblong-lanceolate, tapering, tomentose, c. 6 mm. long, petals narrow-oblong, c. 1 cm. long, dark red. Capsules subglobose to ovoid, tomentose, 2-3 cm. long, on stout decurved peduncles up to 1·5 cm. long; valves 3 or rarely 4, thick, woody.

DIST.: K., N. Forest margins and streamsides: North Cape to Poverty Bay.

FL.- FT. 9-12.

Var. strictum Kirk in T.N.Z.I. 4, 1872, 266 : "umbels terminal; capsules 3-5; pedicels strict." In Stud. Fl. 1899, 51 : "leaves narrow-oblong or oblong-obovate. Peduncles strict, 11/2 in. long. Capsules smaller. Little Barrier Island, T. K. East Cape, Bishop Williams." Needs further study.

Cheeseman, Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 58; 1925, 493, records a form with yellow fls collected by A. Osborne at Tryphena Harbour, Great Barrier Id.