Tas. 4471. 
METROSIDEROS ruoripa. 
| Copious-flowering Metrosideros. 
Nat. Ord. Myrtace®.—IcosaNDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Gen. Char. Calycis tubus ovario adherens non angulatus, limbus 5-fidus. 
Stam. 20-30 longissima exserta. Stylus filiformis. Stigma simplex. Capsula 
2- seepius 3-locularis, loculis polyspermis. Semina aptera.—Arbores aut frutices. 
Folia opposita aut alterna. Flores pedicellati nec ullo modo ut in Melaleuca 
et Callistemone ramo adnati. 
_ Merrosrperos florida ; foliis oppositis oblongo-ovatis glabris parallelim dis- 
tincte venosis subcoriaceis glabris, corymbo composito terminali, calycibus 
- turbinatis, petalis staminibusque coccineis, fructibus urceolatis 5-costatis. 
Merrostperos florida. Sm. in Linn. Trans. v. 3. p. 268. De Cand. Prodr. v. 3. 
p.224, Ach. Rich. Fl. Nov. Zeal. p.333. All. Cunn. Bot. N. Zeal. in Ann. 
Nat. Hist. v. 3. p. 113. 
Metaevca florida. Forst. Prodr. n. 114. 
LeprospEeRMuM scandens. Forst. Gen. ¢. 36. n. 1. 
A native of dense forests in New Zealand, introduced to our 
green-houses by Mr. Allen Cunningham, but although long 
admired for the beauty of its foliage, it blossomed for the first 
time in May 1849, when the bright red corymbs of flowers 
added in no small degree to the charm of the shrub. 
Duscr. A shrub with us, about five feet high, everywhere 
glabrous, forming indeed a compact mass, but every now and 
then sending out spreading branches, which indicate that under 
favourable circumstances the plant would be scandent. Branches 
rounded, or but indistinctly angular, reddish-brown. Leaves 
opposite, an inch or an inch and a half long, subcoriaceous, on 
short petioles, elliptical-ovate, even, slightly glossy, distinctly and 
closely nerved on both sides, the nerves uniting with an extra 
marginal nerve; dark green above, pale beneath, where also 
the dotting is more distinct than on the upper side, but not 
visible to the naked eye. Corymbs terminal, almost: sessile. 
Peduncle red, compound. Calyx turbinate, attenuated’ below ; 
OCTOBER Ist, 1849. 
