Flora of New Zealand Series

Passerina longifolia Thunb. Mus. nat. Acad. upsal. 13, 1792, 106.

Original localities: "prope Tolaga, Opuragi, Sinum Admiralitatis."

Much-branched, up to 2 m. tall; branches and branchlets ascending, ± ridged, glab, except sts a few hairs at lf-axils; bark dark red-brown. Lvs ascending to subpatent, on petioles ± 5 mm. long; lamina pale green (20) -30-75 × (5) -10-20 mm., oblong to elliptic-lanceolate, ± apiculate, coriac., acute to acuminate, gradually narrowed to base, midvein evident below; margins somewhat thickened; subfloral lvs slightly broader. Infl. with ∞ fls on peduncles up to 10 mm. long. Fls fragrant; per. white to rose-flushed, densely silky-hairy. ♂ tube 10-12-(20) mm. long, narrow funnelform; lobes ovate-oblong (3) -4-(6) mm. long, glabrate within, filaments slender, stigma capitate, style short. ♀ smaller, anthers abortive, style long, stigma larger, capitate, papillose. Fr. dry, ± 4 mm. long.

DIST.: N., S. Lowland to montane shrubland and open places from lat. 35° to south of 46°, local.

FL.- FT. 9-1.

The following forms, of uncertain status (some probably of hybrid origin) have been described.

(a) var. lanceolata (Col.) Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 609. P. lanceolata Col. in T.N.Z.I. 22, 1890, 483. Lvs on petioles 4-5 mm. long, lamina 25-50 × 4-8 mm., narrow-lanceolate to narrow-elliptic, acuminate. Heads ± 8-15-fld; per. white, tube ± 17 mm. long; lobes 4-5 mm. long, oblong. Colenso's specimens have ♂, collected "Base of Mount Ruapehu, 1889, H. Hill." Similar forms have the range of P. longifolia and P. gnidia.

(b) P. similis Col. in T.N.Z.I. 22, 1890, 483, from "Edges of thickets base of Mount Ruapehu, 1889, H. Hill." Colenso based his sp. on specimens with ♀ infl. Lamina 25-35 × 10-13 mm., suddenly acuminate, broadly lanceolate, on petioles ± 2 mm. long. Heads 6-10-fld, per. ± 13 mm. long, lobes ± 3 mm. long, narrow.

(c) P. angulata Col. in T.N.Z.I. 18, 1886, 265 was based on a small branch from "Open hilly country in the interior, at Patea, between Napier and Tongariro; kindly sent me by Mr. A. Lascelles." The type specimen in W has lvs on petioles 2 mm. long; lamina 20-25 × 4-5 mm., spreading to deflexed, lanceolate, subacuminate. Heads 10-12-(25)-fld; tube ± 12 mm. long, lobes 4-5 mm. long, broad-oblong. "A few perianths possess 3, and even 4, fertile anthers, while many have 2 abortive filaments (some only 1) in addition to the anther-bearing ones of the same length, and opposite to the other 2 lobes of the perianth."

Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 579) places all 3 forms under var. lanceolata. Cockayne and Allan (Ann. Bot., Lond. 48, 1934, 30) consider that P. longifolia and P. gnidia cross to form hybrid swarms.

(d) P. gnidia var. pulchella Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 609. "Intermediate between P. gnidia and P. longifolia, and with equal claims to be referred to either species." Lamina 15-25 mm. long, elliptic-lanceolate or linear-obovate, acute to obtuse; heads with ∞ fls. The type at A, appears to be of hybrid origin.