Coriaria lurida Kirk
Hooker (Fl. N.Z. 1, 1852, 45) admitted C. thymifolia Humb. et Bonpl. ex Willd. Sp. Pl. 4, 1806, 819, as a member of the N.Z. flora, with the diagnosis: "foliis parvis (vel minimis) ovatis acuminatis lanceolatis linearibusve 1-5-nerviis glabris pubescentibusve . . . Hab. Northern and Middle Islands; not so abundant as C. ruscifolia, and affecting drier localities. East Coast and interior, Colenso. Nelson, Bidwill. Milford Sound, Lyall. A small shrub with much smaller, longer, and sharper leaves than the former [C. ruscifolia], of which it is most probably a variety . . . In New Zealand, though often quite narrow and linear-lanceolate, they [leaves] present all gradations of size, from 1/4-1 inch long, and of form between lanceolate and oblong-ovate." In his Handbook 1864, 47, he extends the distribution to "common in various dry places, throughout the islands, ascending to 5000 ft." A specimen collected by M'Gillivray on the Kermadecs is also included. My notes on the N.Z. specimens available to Hooker include: "A mixed lot, not C. thymifolia . . . some of the American specimens are very like some of the Mount Egmont hybrids."
Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 97-98) separated his C. lurida from the complex by the key:
Suffruticose, herbaceous, branched. Racemes erectC. thymifolia
Herbaceous. Stems simple, strict. Racemes erectC. lurida
He adds of C. lurida : "Easily distinguished by its lurid hue and strict habit, but presenting no structural points of difference." Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 106 placed C. lurida Kirk as an absolute synonym of C. thymifolia and maintains this view in the second edition 1925, p. 547, adding "I cannot separate Mr. Kirk's C. lurida save as a trivial variety."
Oliver (T.N.Z.I. 53, 1921, 364) under C. lurida Kirk, after a study of the Kew material, decided: "This New Zealand species, hitherto referred to C. thymifolia, can easily be distinguished from all the American forms by the habit and shape of the leaves. C. thymifolia occurs from Mexico to Peru, and is a quite distinct species with small closely-set ovate acute leaves, which, though varying in size, are nearly constant in shape. The New Zealand plant has the leaves on the shoots much more narrow and acuminate." My own examination of the Kew material led me to support Oliver's view.
Oliver (Rec. Dom. Mus. Wellington 1, 1942, 41) decided that C. lurida Kirk was based on hybrid material belonging to the group C. plumosa × sarmentosa. "Kirk in 1899, proposed the name lurida as a species, but retained as well the name thymifolia as another species giving each a wide range. Probably all the specimens he classed under these two names were hybrids . . . I am now convinced that Kirk's type specimen of lurida is nothing more than a hybrid plant produced by C. plumosa and C. sarmentosa."
The specimen selected by Oliver as the type of C. lurida Kirk bears Kirk's label: "926, Coriaria lurida, T. Kirk Stud. Fl. N.Z. Otago, D. Petrie". There has been added: "DM. 156. Type of C. lurida". On the sheet are two pieces, one pencilled (not by Kirk) "type". This is 31 cm. long, with slender spreading branchlets up to c. 9 cm. long; lvs ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 12-17 × 4-6 mm.; purplish above, paler below. Racemes ascending, up to 8 mm. long, with a few lvs towards base. Similar forms occur in montane areas throughout South Id. As far as my observations go C. plumosa is often absent from the "lurida" and "thymifolia" populations and probably true-breeding forms occur.
