— a “Tap. 4488. 
METROSIDEROS tTomeEnrTosa. 
Downy-leaved Metrosideros. 
Nat. Ord. Myrrace®.—IcosanpRIA MoNoGYNIA. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4471.) 
MerrosIDEROos tomentosa ; foliis oppositis ellipticis coriaceis obtusiusculis bre- 
vissime petiolatis supra glabris subtus ramulis calycibusque cinereo-tomen- 
tosis, corymbis compositis terminalibus, pedicellis bi-trifloris, ovario turbi- 
nato-cylindraceo, petalis minutis, capsulis leevibus. 
METROsIDEROS tomentosa. 4. Rich. F. Nov. Zel. p. 336. t.37. All. Cunn. 
Bot. N. Zeal. in Ann. of Nat. Hist. v. 3. p.113. Walp. Repert. v. 2. p. 165. 
* 
Native of New Zealand, where it was discovered, in 1769, by 
Sir Joseph Banks, during the voyage of the illustrious Cook. 
“Tt inhabits,’ says Mr. Allan Cunningham (by whom it was 
introduced to the Royal Gardens of Kew), “usually the rocky 
sea-coast and shores of the Bay of Islands, where it is called 
by the natives Pohutu-Kawa, and is readily distinguished 
among other plants by the brilliancy and abundance of its 
flowers, enlivening the shores of the northern island with its 
blossoms in December. With us in the greenhouse it has 
attained the height of six feet, and attracted attention by its 
copious compact, but spreading ramification, and the abundance 
and beauty of its evergreen foliage. Its blossoming this year 
(for the first time) was probably encouraged by planting it out, 
by way of experiment, in the spring, in a sheltered part of the 
woods of the Pleasure-ground, in a soil of rich vegetable leaf- 
mould. During the summer, almost every branchlet was termi- 
nated by the vivid scarlet blossoms, and it became a conspicuous 
object at a distance. Already, however, (December 1849) the 
frosts have damaged the foliage, and, except those from the lofty 
mountains, we dare not hope that any of the New Zealand trees 
or shrubs will bear our inland winters in Great Britain. 
Descr. In its native country it forms an “ ordinary-sized ¢ree, 
JANUARY Ist, 1850. 
