Flora of New Zealand Series

Viscum antarcticum Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 70.

V. pubigerum A. Cunn. in Ann. nat. Hist. 2, 1839, 208.

T. cunninghamii Miq. in Linnaea 18, 1844, 85.

T. pubigera Miq. loc. cit. 86.

Shrub up to c. 1 m. diam.; branchlets opp. or subopp., pubescent; bark pale. Lvs of diverse form on same plant, on slender ± pubescent petioles ± 2-5 mm. long, alt. to subopp. Lamina (1)-3-5-(7) × 1-3-(4) cm., coriac., broadly ovate- to obovate-rhomboid to elliptic-lanceolate-oblong, obtuse to occ. subacute; margins sts sinuate to sub-crenulate. Panicles ± 2-3 cm. long, up to 15-fld; peduncles and pedicels slender, finely pubescent. Fls ± 3-5 mm. diam.; tepals 4, greenish yellow, of ♂ of ovate-oblong order, of ♀ us. rather narrower, subacute. Stigma terminal on thick style, large, globose. Ovary adnate to receptacle. Fr. ± 5-7 mm. diam., white to pink, often with darker pink spots, subglobose, viscid.

DIST.: N., S. Not uncommon throughout, on several hosts, including Neopanax, Coprosma, Carpodetus; occ. on Loranthus, Elytranthe. Also attacks, sts heavily, Cytisus proliferus.

FL. 10-12. FT. 12-(5).

Colenso (T.N.Z.I. 16, 1884, 329) based his T. undulata on specimens from a plant "Parasitical on Panax arboreum, Petane Valley, near Napier, 1883: Mr. A. Hamilton; flowering in September, and bearing the ripe last year's fruits at the same time." His description includes: "bark light greenish-grey . . . Leaves (male plant) . . . 3 inches long, 2 inches broad; (female plant) leaves . . . 11/2 inches long, 3/4 inch broad . . . undulate . . . panicles short, dense . . . Fruit . . . broadly elliptic, smooth, pink thickly spotted or splashed with dark pink." I have not located his specimens.

W. A. Thomson (T.R.S.N.Z. 77, 1949, 208, t. 13) considered a plant growing on Coprosma chathamica in his garden to be of origin L. micranthus × T. antarctica. "After three years it flowered, and for the first three following years produced female flowers only. The following year was the same, with the addition that one branch produced males only. No difference could be seen in the females from those of Tupeia, but the males showed the stamens basifixed on the petals as in Loranthus. The berries were as large as Loranthus and same shape, the colour purple with darker purple spots, and some almost yellow." Plants raised bore either ♂ or ♀. "The berries of the progeny are smaller than the Fl, and more globular."