Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: "in humid woods on the banks of the Kanakana [Kawakawa] and other rivers, Bay of Islands, &c." Type: BM, A. Cunningham, 1826.

Openly branched shrub up to 2 m. tall, us. less, mainly epiphytic or on rocks, branchlets often subwhorled, ± pubescent when young. Lvs mostly in whorls of 3-5, thinly coriac., lamina 3·5-7·5 X 1·5-3·5 cm., on very short petioles or subsessile; obovate-cuneate to obovate-elliptic or subrhomboidal, acute. Fls functionally polygamodioec., in terminal umbels of 3-5; ♀ us. not > 3. Sepals subulate to linear-lanceolate, acuminate, c. 4·5 mm. long; petals subulate, acuminate, c. 1 cm. long, light red or yellowish. Capsules c. 1·5 cm. diam., broadly ovoid to obovoid, 2-3-valved; valves woody, finely granulate, us. bright orange-yellow within, twisting when open.

DIST.: N., S. Lowland to lower montane forest and rocks from North Cape to lat. 41° 30'.

FL. 6-9. FT. 10-3.