Gunnera ×mixta Kirk
G. microcarpa Kirk loc. cit. 348?
G. ovata Petrie in T.N.Z.I. 25, 1893, 274 (in part).
Kirk's description is: "Rhizomes slender; leaves 11/2 in.-21/2 in. long, with weak scattered hairs on petiole and blade; blade ovate or slightly cordate, rounded at the apex, crenate but not lobed. Scape very slender, unbranched, exceeding the leaves; upper flowers lax, sessile or shortly pedicelled; staminate, pistillate, and hermaphrodite flowers intermixed, staminate mostly pedicellate; perianth segments 2, narrow linear-oblong, obtuse; female perianth segments 4, ovate, unequal, sometimes with two linear-oblong processes springing from the base of the segment; hermaphrodite flowers with ovate segments alternating with two linear-oblong; filaments short, anthers apparently abortive. Fruit not seen . . . simple, lax, subracemose scape exceeding the leaves, which distinguishes it from all other species." Kirk had material from Otago, collected by J. Buchanan and A. Hamilton.
The material in W is on one sheet; there are three rosettes and the upper portion of a scape. All are loose; the labels, also loose, have both been numbered 1083 and one rosette tagged 1083. Buchanan's gathering is labelled "Otago 1872", and A. Hamilton's "Otago 1890". There is a small packet with a few fls. It is not possible to decide which of the specimens belong to which collector, but they are conspecific. The petioles are up to 4 cm. long; lamina up to 15 × 15 mm.; infl. 4-7 mm. long.
Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 154) after examining specimens collected by Petrie, considered that they "prove beyond doubt that both [G. mixta and G. microcarpa] are one and the same species. Its distinguishing characters are the tall slender lax-flowered usually branched flowering-stems, the upper part of which is male and the lower female . . .". Kirk (loc. cit. 348) described G. microcarpa : "Rhizomes slender, tufted. Leaves 2 in.-4 in. long, petioles slender, hairy or strigose; blade about 1 in. long, broadly ovate or ovate-cordate, with scattered hairs on both surfaces, crenate or crenate-lobed. Flowers not seen. Fruiting scapes 1 in.-11/2 in. long, almost filiform, hidden amongst the leaves, bracts linear, ciliate at the apex. Drupes sessile, about the size of mustard seeds, yellow or red; styles filiform. Hab. Southland; T. Waugh!" Two groups of specimens are now mounted on one sheet: "1080 Kew, Southland, Feb. 1895, fruit red, very shortly pedicellate, minute, T.W." (This has subsequently been marked "type"); "1082, Sandy Point, Southland, Feb. 16, 1895, T. Waugh". The Kew specimens have petioles up to 5 cm. long; lamina 15-30 × 15-25 mm., one lamina ± lobed; fruiting scape c. 1 cm. long. There is also a fragment of G. flavida. The Sandy Point specimens are similar, but the lobing is more distinct; fruiting scapes 25 mm. long; drupes ± reddish yellow, c. 2 mm. long.
I have seen only herbarium material, and the whole complex needs further study in the field and garden.
