Flora of New Zealand Series

M. tomentosa A. Rich. Essai Fl. N.Z. 1832, 336, t. 37.

Pohutukawa.

Tree up to 20 m. tall; trunk up to 2 m. diam.; branches spreading; branchlets stout, tomentose. Lvs on short stout petioles; lamina (2.5)-5-10 × 2.5-3-5 cm., elliptic to oblong, acute or obtuse, coriac., thick, clad in white tomentum below (young plants occ. glab. below). Infl. of broad compound cymes with ∞ fls; pedicels stout, tomentose. Receptacle obconic; sepals deltoid; petals crimson, oblong. Stamens ∞, crimson, 3-4 cm. long. Ovary adnate to receptacle. Capsules 7-9 mm. long, tomentose, distinctly exserted, loculicidally 3-valved.

DIST.: Three Kings, N. Coastal forest south to Poverty Bay and Urenui. Inland on shores of lakes of Volcanic Plateau.

FL. 12-1. FT. 1-2.