Flora of New Zealand Series

Entoganum laevigatum Gaertn. Fruct. 1, 1788, 331.

Glab. much-branched spreading shrub up to 6 m. tall; branchlets slender, pale yellow-green when young. Lvs opp., 3-foliolate, on petioles up to c. 5 cm. long; petiolules very short to 5 mm. long. Lamina thinly coriac., (5)-7-10 × (2)-3-4 cm., subacute to acute, obovate-cuneate to elliptic- to ovate- or obovate-oblong, entire (all forms may be on same plant). Subfloral lvs may be 2- to 1-foliolate. Infl. of often paired axillary cymes, ± trichotomously branched, on peduncles ± 2 cm. long; bracts minute, ovate; pedicels ± 5 mm. long. Fls perfect or unisexual, 8-10 mm. diam. Sepals ovate-oblong, c. 1·5 mm. long, gland-dotted; petals greenish, ovate-oblong, concavo-convex, c. 5 mm. long, gland-dotted. Ovary glab., style short, stout. Disk annular, lobulate.. Cocci ± 5 mm. long, pale brown, wrinkled and punctulose. Seed ± 5 mm. long, black, glossy.

DIST.: K., Three Kings, N., S. Coastal to lowland forests, especially marginal, southwards to lat. 41° 30'. Wharangi.

FL. 9-10. FT. 10-2.

There is a Forster specimen at K, locality not indicated; lflts 3·5-4 × 1·5-2.5 cm. Kermadec Is specimens have lflts larger, on the average. Oliver (T.N.Z.I. 42, 1910, 167) gives the flowering dates as "April to October". Cheeseman (T.N.Z.I. 20, 1887, 166) gave the epithet var. grandis to the Kermadec plant.