Flora of New Zealand Series

C. pseudocolensoi Ckn. et Allan in Ann. Bot., Lond. 48, 1934, 43.

Type locality: Huiarau Range. Type: K, W. Colenso 170, 1844.

Slender to rather stout spreading shrub up to 2-(3) m. tall; branches with dark red-brown bark; branchlets pubescent to glab. Lvs on pubescent petioles 2-3 mm. long. Stipules triangular, subacute to obtuse, with scattered patches of short hairs, ciliolate. Lamina glab., coriac., oblong to broad-oblong to obovate to elliptic (several forms us. on one plant), (7)-9-15-(20) × (3)-5-8 mm., obtuse to truncate or retuse, narrowed abruptly to petiole. Midrib and many secondary veins evident. Fls solitary on decurved peduncles. ♂ without calyx; corolla subcampanulate, lobes ovate, acute, ± = tube. ♀ with small, obtuse teeth; corolla tubular, lobes acute, > tube. Drupe crimson, broad-oblong, 6-7 mm. long.

DIST.: N., S., St. Lowland to lower subalpine forest, shrubland from Mount Moehau southwards.

Oliver (loc. cit. 72) notes that "C. Colensoi hybridizes freely with C. Banksii and C. foetidissima wherever it meets these species. So diverse are the hybrid swarms that it is difficult to determine the limits of the species or the probable parentage of the hybrids." For a discussion on the determination of the type see Oliver loc. cit. 73.