Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: near Mercer. Type: A, T. F. Cheeseman, Sept. 1881.

Erect shrub up to 2-(5) m. tall, with stiff divaricate branches; bark reddish brown; branchlets wiry, somewhat shining. Lvs on petioles 2-3 mm. long. Stipules triangular, acute, ciliolate, with terminal denticle or not. Lamina thick, coriac., glab., obovate to oblong, rounded to subtruncate at apex, cuneately narrowed to base, ± 10-20 × 3-9 mm. Midrib and principal secondary veins evident, at least below. Fls solitary, terminal on short branchlets. ♂ without calyx; corolla broadly campanulate, lobes broad-ovate acute, = tube. ♀ with short obtuse calyx-teeth; corolla with short tube and rather long, narrow, acute lobes. Drupe orange-yellow or white, ± obovoid, c. 4-6 mm. long.

DIST.: N., S. Forest and forest margins from c. lat. 35º southwards.

The sp. is somewhat polymorphic and needs revision.

C. aurantiaca Col. in T.N.Z.I. 22, 1890, 464 was based on specimens collected by Colenso "On low flats, sides of streams, open lands south of Dannevirke" and others near Norsewood. The fr. is described as "solitary, globular, size of a small pea, stalked, clear golden yellow, very sweet." The type, in W, from Dannevirke, has lvs up to ± 10-12 × 3-4 mm. Specimens at K have lvs c. 7-10 mm., including petiole ± 3 mm., ovate-cuneate,. narrowed abruptly to petiole, reticulations distinct below; fr. obconic, 5 × 4 mm., groove rather deep.

C. lentissima Col. in T.N.Z.I. 22, 1890, 465 was described from specimens collected by Colenso on "Outer edges of woods, open plains south of Dannevirke . . . 1899 . . . This is a very peculiar species, from its long slender simple and very pliant branches." The lvs are given as "5-7 lines long, 3-4 lines broad, membranous . . . Female flowers and fruit unknown." The type, at W, has no Colenso label: lvs up to ± 9-12 × 4-6 mm., obovate to obovate-oblong, apex rounded, sts apiculate. At K there are 3 brownish red branchlets ± 50 cm. × ± 1 mm. at widest part; lvs c. 7-15 mm. long. Possibly a shade form of C. rigida, but the status needs further study.

C. turbinata Col. in T.N.Z.I. 24, 1892, 389 was described from specimens collected by Colenso on "sides of streamlets, edges of woods, south of Dannevirke . . . 1890-91". The description includes: "Leaves small, 2-3 lines long, numerous yet rather distant in pairs, spreading, obovate, very obtuse, subcoriaceous; veins reticulate, obscure; stipules small, blunt, glabrous . . . Fruit small, lateral, solitary . . . turbinate, 1-11/2 lines long, yellow when ripe". The type, at W, has no Colenso label; lvs ± 9-10 × 6-7 mm., broad-ovate. Drupes now blackish, c. 3 mm. long, subtruncate at apex. In the type folder at K are 2 sheets―(a) one large piece with divaricate rigid branchlets, bark dark red; lvs plentiful, 6-8 × 3 mm., no evident cilia, midrib and reticulation visible below; fr. broad-obconic, 4·5 × 4 mm., rather deeply grooved; very similar to Colenso's C. aurantiaca; (b) smaller, more slender, with ♂; lvs and bark similar to (a).