Flora of New Zealand Series

A. excelsus var. grandis Cheesem. in T.N.Z.I. 24, 1892, 409.

Type: A, T. F. Cheeseman, Nov. 1889.

Tree up to ± 5 m. tall; branchlets with ferruginous pubescence. Lvs imparipinnate, alt., 20-30 cm. long, on short petioles. Lflts 2-3 pairs, very shortly petioluled; lamina ± coriac., broad- to ovate-oblong, obtuse to subacute, 10-18 × 5-9 cm., us. entire, ± pubescent on midrib and main veins. Fls ? Fr. globose, pubescent, winged, 18 mm. long, 12 mm. diam. Seeds black, shining.

DIST.: Three Kings Is. "A small clump growing on the cliffs on the northern side of the Great King."

Oliver (Rec. Auck. Inst. Mus. 3, 1948, 227) records that Baylis found only two trees in 1934 and one moribund tree in 1945. The fr.-dimensions are taken from Oliver (loc. cit. 4, 1951, 111) who remarks: "The fruits, usually, perhaps normally, are joined together in twos on the flanged sides for practically the whole length. The lateral flanges, except at the apex, are accordingly suppressed in the joined fruits." Joined frs occ. occur on A. excelsus.