Flora of New Zealand Series

M. diffusa Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1852, 67 non

Melaleuca diffusa Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 37 non

Metrosideros diffusa Smith in Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 3, 1797, 268.

Liane up to 15 m. or more tall, with branchlets, infl.-axes, receptacle setose to pubescent. Lvs on petioles ± 1 mm. long; lamina coriac., elliptic- to ovate-oblong to broad ovate, obtuse to subacute, 15-35 × 7-10-(20) mm. Infl. in us. terminal compound cymes with ∞ very bright carmine fls on pedicels ± 5 mm. long; sepals broad-oblong, ± 2 mm. long; petals suborbicular, shortly clawed, ± 5 × 4 mm., margins us. toothed; stamens 10-15 mm. long. Ovary adnate to and distinctly exceeded by receptacle. Capsule subglobose, 6-7-(9) mm. diam.

DIST.: N. Coastal to lowland forests from lat. 35° to East Cape and Taranaki.

FL. 8-10. FT. 11-3.