Flora of New Zealand Series

Ronabea australis A. Rich. Essai Fl. N.Z. 1832, 265.

C. grandifolia Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1853, 104.

Type locality: Astrolabe Harbour. Type: P? Lesson.

Shrub or tree up to c. 6 m. tall; trunk slender (not always developed); branches and branchlets rather stout, glab. Lvs on petioles ± 2-5 cm. long. Stipules tapering from rather broad base to 2 conspicuous denticles, glab. Lamina membr. to subcoriac., subglossy green above, paler below, broadly elliptic to obovate; apex subacute, sts apiculate; rather gradually narrowed to petiole; (10)-15-20 × (5)-7-10 cm.; margins sts waved, sts ± crenulate. Reticulations close, conspicuous or evident on both surfaces. Fls in clusters on trichotomously branched peduncles up to c. 6 cm. long. ♂ with 4-5-toothed cupular calyx; corolla narrow-funnelform, lobes us. 5, acute, < tube; stamens us. 5. ♀ us. with small stipulate bracts at axils of branches; calyx-teeth us. 5, small, acute; corolla tubular, lobes 5, narrow-triangular, acute, ± = tube. Drupe reddish orange, oblong, 7-9 mm. long.

DIST.: Three Kings, N., S. Lowland to lower montane forest, especially marginal, to c. lat. 42º 30'. Kanono.

Oliver (loc. cit. 108) remarks: "Most of the variation observed in this species can be correlated with change of habitat, but Mr. J. H. McMahon has collected a plant having the leaves arranged in whorls of three."

C. autumnalis Col. in T.N.Z.I. 19, 1887, 263 was based on specimens collected in "Forests near Norsewood . . . 1881-6. W. C. Flowering in May and June." Colenso emphasizes as differentiae: "the larger number of its flowers in heads, both male and female, in its corollas, anthers and large elliptic fruits." The drupes are given as: "broadly elliptic, 4-41/2 lines long, bright red (red-currant colour), very glossy." The type, in W, has finely ribbed branches, lvs of elliptic order, lamina 9-12 × 4-6 cm. There is no Colenso label. C. australis normally flowers in late autumn.