Flora of New Zealand Series

Type: W, Kirk Herb., Enys, March 1891.

Tree up to c. 7 m. tall, with stout branches and simple lvs. Lvs of juveniles ascending to spreading; of young plants 5-15 cm. long, lanceolate to oblong, narrowed to short stout petioles, acute to subacute, coarsely to rather finely serrate in upper part, subcoriac.; lvs of unbranched older plants more coriac., 15-30 × 3-5·5 cm., oblong to elliptic- to obovate-oblong, distinctly apiculately serrate to sinuate, acute to obtuse, passing into those of branched adult stage. Lvs of adults c. 10-15 cm. long on petioles c. 1-2 cm. long, thick and coriac., obovate-oblong, gradually narrowed into petiole, ± serrate towards acute or obtuse often apiculate tip; midrib prominent, veins evident above and below. Umbels terminal; staminate with 5-10 primary rays, c. 5 cm. long, with fls racemosely arranged, stamens 5-4; pistillate with shorter primary rays, umbellules 2-5- or more-fld. Ovary 5-loculed, 5-ovuled, style-branches connate. Fr. broad-oblong in outline, c. 6 × 5 mm.

DIST.: Ch. Lowland forest throughout.

FL. 2.

Kirk (loc. cit.) describes 2 further specimens from Chatham Is: "Branchlets stout. Leaves excessively coriaceous, quite entire, 3 in.-4 in. long, 1 in. broad or more, linear-oblong, gradually narrowed into a short petiole, acute or apiculate. Male umbels simple; rays 5-8, 1 in.-11/2 in. long; pedicels 1-5, exceeding the flowers. Petals 4, inflexed at the tips. Stamens 4 . . . it might be named P. apiculatum."