Flora of New Zealand Series

V. littoralis A. Cunn. in Ann. nat. Hist. 1, 1838, 461 non Decne in Nouv. Ann. Mus. Hist. nat. Paris 3, 1834, 401.

Type locality: "Rocky shores of Bay of Islands". Type: K, A. Cunningham, 1826.

Tree up to c. 20 m. tall; trunk up to c. 1·5 m. diam.; branches stout, spreading; branchlets 4-angled. Lvs opp., on petioles up to ± 10 cm. long. Lflts 3-4-5, the basal one or pair us. much smaller than the terminal 3, digitate. Lamina of 3 main lflts ± 5-12.5 × 3-5 cm.; glab., coriac., entire, ± undulate, dark green, glossy, elliptic-oblong to obovate, abruptly acute to subacuminate. Domatia present at axils of costa and main veins. Infl. of ample (4)-10-15-fld, dichotomous, axillary panicles. Calyx cupular, minutely 5-toothed; corolla dull red, pubescent, 2-lipped, c. 2.5-3·5 cm. long. Upper lip entire or bifid, lower deflexed, 3-lobed. Style slender, bifid, c. 25 mm. long. Drupe subglobose, bright red, ± 2 cm. diam.

DIST.: N. Coastal to lowland forest from near North Cape to lat. 39° 30', local in southern part of range. Puriri. FL 6-10.

FT. 2-9.