Flora of New Zealand Series

Cunningham (Ann. nat. Hist. 3, 1839, 319) describes the lvs as "ovate valde acuminata, grosse duplicato-serrata, membranacea, penninervia, venosa". This agrees well enough with Hooker's var. vulgaris (Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 31): "Leaves ovate, with large sharp teeth". Forms closely resembling the type appear to be more common in the northern part of the range of the sp.

Other striking forms are:

1. Hooker's description of his H. sinclairii (Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 31) includes: "Larger in all its parts than H. populnea, and readily distinguished by its broadly ovate, acute, obtusely serrate, coriaceous glabrous leaves. The peduncles are usually binate, and shorter than the petioles . . . the peduncles jointed in the middle, stigmas capitate, and carpels 5 . . . I find this fine species amongst some Auckland plants, sent without localities by Dr. Sinclair."

The type specimen at K has lvs on petioles ± 3 cm. long; lamina coriac., (7)-9·5-10 × (5)-7 cm., broadly ovate, obtuse to acute or acuminate, rounded to subcordate at base; teeth subcrenate to obtusely pointed; fls almost destroyed by insects, styles apparently 5, stigmas capitate.

Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 71) accepts it as var. Sinclairii of his subsp. vulgaris. He describes the margins as "with close short obtuse serratures". Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 564) dismisses the name as an absolute synonym of H. populnea, but this cannot be accepted and further field studies should be made.

2. A very distinct form, probably worthy of specific rank (I have seen only Oliver's specimens) is represented in W by specimens collected by W. R. B. Oliver on the Poor Knights Is, 24 Feb. 1934. Lvs 7-15 × 3·5-6·5 cm. (some lvs 4 × 3 cm., obtuse) very coriac., obtuse to sub-acuminate; margins recurved, sinuate, distantly and rather obscurely toothed; cymes up to 15-fld on pedicels c. 10 mm. long (some solitary fls present). Calyx rather deeply toothed.

3. A specimen in W, collected by T. Kirk, Titirangi range, April 1868 (now numbered 689). Lvs on petioles up to 2 cm. long; lamina rather thinly coriac., ovate to broad-ovate, acuminate, 7-10 × 3-5 cm., teeth dentate-serrate, acute, rather evenly spaced and regular, ± 2 mm. long. Fls solitary or in few-fld cymes, on pedicels up to c. 1·5 cm. long. Carpels up to 10 × 8 mm. including wings. Somewhat similar forms occur sporadically in North Id.

Hooker (Fl. N.Z. 1, 1852, 30) describes his var. crataegifolia as: "foliis ovatis varie lobatis dentatisque". He probably had specimens of semi-juvenile lvs of H. sexstylosa before him.