Pittosporum obcordatum Raoul
The description in Raoul Choix 1846, 24, t. 24, includes: "P. ramulis diffusis glabris, foliis obcordatis v. suborbicularibus breviter petiolatis utrinque glabris planis, floribus solitariis v. geminis, pedicellis puberulis, sepalis lanceolatis acutis, petalis lineari-lanceolatis obtusiusculis, staminibus petalis brevioribus, ovario puberulo fulvo, stylo glabro staminibus breviore. HAB. Akaroa, in umbrosis humidisque nemoribus."
The plant is given as 5-4 m. tall, with slender branchlets; lvs c. 1 cm. long, obcordate or obscurely obcordate-trilobate; petioles 1 mm. long; sepals ciliate; petals patent reflexed, much > sepals; ovary glab., 2-valved. The plate agrees with the description except that no truly obcordate lvs are shown. The petals are figured as about 4 times as long as sepals. The flowering date is given as December. The sp. has not again been met with in South Id. The lvs of the Raoul specimen in K are 4-8 × 3-7 mm., suborbicular to broadly obovate.
In 1920 plants conspecific with the Akaroa plant, but possibly varietally distinct, were discovered by G. O. K. Sainsbury (T.N.Z.I. 54, 1923, 572) on the river-flats of the Wairoa River, Hawkes Bay, in swampy forest. Plants up to 3 m. tall; branchlets sparsely pubescent. Lvs of juveniles up to 2 cm. or more long, linear to obovate-oblong, 3-lobed or irregularly lobulate near apex. Lvs of adults 4-8 × 3-7 mm., suborbicular to broadly obovate. Fls axillary; sepals c. 2 mm. long, narrow-lanceolate, acuminate; petals c. 5 mm. long, narrow-oblong, light saffron, ± edged with red. Capsules c. 5 mm. long, valves pilose, finely granulate. FL. 10-11.
In 1901 R. H. Matthews discovered plants at the outlet of Lake Tongonge near Kaitaia. These, as well as the Wairoa plants, were referred to P. obcordatum by Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 55; 1925, 489). Laing and Gourley gave the Kaitaia plants varietal rank; apparently all these plants are now destroyed.
Var. kaitaiaensis Laing et Gourlay in T.R.S.N.Z. 65, 1935, 47. Shrub or small tree with pale bark, up to 5 m. tall; young shoots silky pubescent; young lvs sparsely clad on both surfaces and fringed on margins with white hairs. Lvs of juveniles obovate to elliptic-obovate, entire to shallowly lobed, up to 3 × 1·5 cm. Occ. lvs linear, expanded at the 2-3-lobed apex. Lvs of adults 6-15 × 6-11 mm., broadly obovate. Capsules silky when young, glab. or nearly so when mature, ovoid, c. 6-7 mm. long. Type: CM, R. H. Matthews. The flowering and fruiting months of all forms appear to be 10-1.