Flora of New Zealand Series

R. scabrosus Steud. Nom. bot. ed. 2, 2, 1841, 443.

Columnea scabrosa Sol. ex DC. Prodr. 9, 1845, 277.

Type locality: "dry woods, in the vicinity of the Bay of Islands". Type: K, A. Cunningham, 1826; laminae ± 2 × 2 cm. on petioles ± 5 mm. long.

Much-branched scabrous shrub up to c. 2 m. tall, with opp. branches and branchlets. Hairs stiff, conical, several-celled. Lvs on slender petioles up to ± 10 mm. long. Lamina broad-ovate to suborbicular, coarsely serrate-dentate, (1)-2-3-(5) × 1·5-3-(5) cm., appearing grey-green owing to indumentum. Fls nodding, 2-2.5 cm. long, solitary on slender pedicels up to 2-(4) cm. long. Calyx ± 1 cm. long, pilose, lobes ovate- to triangular-acuminate. Corolla us. orange with red veins; lobes spreading, ciliolate, up to c. 2 cm. long. Staminal filaments slender, incurved above. Disk annular, obscure; style curved at apex, ± 15 mm. long; stigma small, rather obscurely 2-lobed. Capsule ± 7-10 mm. long, invested by persistent calyx, ovoid, tapering to apex, placentae thick, 2-lobed; seeds ∞, ovoid.

DIST.: N. Coastal to lowland forests, especially by streamsides, throughout, but local south of lat. 40°. Plants may be found in fl. in most months of year.

Plants of the off-shore islands and islets have lvs up to 6 × 8 cm. or even larger. Colour of fls ranges from almost brick-red through rich to pale orange, variously striped. A plant from the Kaitake Range near New Plymouth was brought into cultivation by means of cuttings by Mr V. C. Davies; its fls have a ground colour of distinct rather pale yellow. A. W. Anderson (Gdnrs' Chron. 120, No. 3115, 1946, 114) gives some account of the variation in fl.-colour within the sp.