Flora of New Zealand Series

P. ellipticum subsp. ellipticum Kirk loc. cit.

Type locality: Whangaroa. Type: W, T. Kirk, Whangaroa.

Tree up to 8 m. tall, bark black, branches spreading; young branchlets, lvs, and peduncles densely clad in ferruginous tomentum. Lvs alt., on stout petioles up to 10 mm. long. Lamina coriac., ± 5-10 × 2.5-5 cm., elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic to elliptic-oblong, acute to obtuse. Umbels terminal, 2-5-fld. Sepals ovate to narrow-ovate, acuminate, c. 6 mm. long, pilose; petals linear-oblong, acute to acuminate, c. 1 cm. long, red (occ. yellow). Capsules broadly ovoid, subcompressed, c. 17 mm. diam., tomentose, 2-valved; valves woody, very faintly furrowed.

DIST.: N. Lowland forests from lat. 35° to 37°.

FL. 9-12. FT. 1-5.

Var. ovatum Kirk Stud. Fl. 1899, 52. Subsp. ovatum Kirk in T.N.Z.I. 4, 1872, 267. Lvs obovate to broadly elliptic, not > 5 cm. long; capsules 2-4, peduncles stout. Dist.: Whangaroa North; Manaia Hills; Titirangi (Auckland). Type: W, Whangaroa North, Kirk, No. 484.

Var. decorum Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 491. "Leaves narrower. Flowers more numerous, in both terminal and lateral fascicles. . . . Ohinemuri Gorge, . . . Gordon Settlement, . . . Hawai River, inland from Opotiki, . . . Aorangi Scenic Reserve, . . . base of Mount Hikurangi, . . . agrees exactly with the type in the ferruginous tomentum, but differs in the inflorescence being both terminal and lateral." The whole complex needs further study.