Flora of New Zealand Series

Epicarpurus microphyllus Raoul in Ann. Sci. nat. Sér. 3, 2, 1844, 117.

P. heterophylla Blume Mus. bot. Lugd. Bat. 2, 1852, 81.

Trophis ? opaca Banks et Sol. ex Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1854, 224 (in part).

E. microphyllus Raoul (in part) in Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 251.

Taxotrophis microphylla (Raoul) F. Muell. Fragm. Phyt. Austr. 6, 1868, 193.

Turepo, Milk tree.

Type locality: "Akaroa in nemoribus". Type: P.

Juveniles with slender flexuous branchlets, distant lvs 5-10 × 3-10 mm. on slender petioles 1-2 mm. long; lamina obovate in outline, crenate-serrate, often with large terminal and a pair or more of small lateral lobes. Lvs of adults 8-25 × 5-12 mm., on petioles up to 5 mm. long; lamina ovate- to obovate-oblong to elliptic, obtuse or subacute, crenate-serrate. Spikes axillary, solitary or paired; staminate up to 2.5 cm. long, densely fld; pistillate up to 1·5 cm. long, laxly 3-10-fld. Drupe globose, red, 4-5 mm. diam.

DIST.: N., S. Lowland forests and forest margins throughout.

HYBRIDISM

Hooker (Fl. N.Z. loc. cit.) lumped all the material he had seen under Trophis ? opaca, treating E. microphyllus Raoul as a synonym. In the Handbook (loc. cit.) he gave the same treatment under E. microphyllus Raoul, treating T. ? opaca as the synonym. Kirk (J. Bot., Lond. 35, 1897, 223) decided that "we have only a single species which exhibits an exceptional range of variation, so that it is necessary to point out the characteristics of the extreme forms." There is now quite adequate field evidence that we have two perfectly distinct mainland spp. producing hybrid swarms where they meet. It is also clear that some of the polymorphy seen is due to habitat-modifications, especially to the influence of strong wind.

FL. 10-2. FT. 11-3.