Tas. 4515. 
METROSIDEROS sBuxiro.ia. 
Box-leaved Metrosideros. 
Nat. Ord. Myrracem.—IcosanpRia MoNoGyYNIA. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4471.) 
MerrosipeEros bueifolia; scandens, ramis incanis, foliis quadrifariis patentibus 
ovato-rotundatis obtusis coriaceis subsessilibus nitidis margine revolutis 
utrinque pilis incanis conspersis subtus punctatis, floribus in axillis termi- 
nalibus, pedunculis brevibus trifloris. 
MerrosipERos buxifolia. AJ. Cunn. in Ann. of Nat. Hist. v. 3. p. 111. Wal- 
pers, Repert. Bot. v. 2. p. 165. 
Merrosiperos scandens. Forst. in Gertn. Fruct. v. 1. p. 172. t. 34. f. 10. 
This and other “scandent” New Zealand species of MMetrosi- 
deros do not, in cultivation and confined as they are in pots or 
tubs, give any idea of the climbing character attributed to them. 
With us the present species has a Myrtle-like habit, four to five 
feet high, with rather robust branches and leaves, which only 
require to be more acute to be quite like those of a common 
Myrtle in shape. Allan Cunningham describes it in New Zea- 
land as “a rambling shrub adhering to trees, and by its lateral 
roots climbing’ to the summits of the loftiest timber in the forests 
of Wangaroa, Bay of Islands.” It appears to be not uncommon 
in the Northern Island, and is called by the aborigines 447, and by 
the Missionaries Lignwm-Vite, no doubt on account of the hard- 
ness of the wood. It requires the protection of a greenhouse i 
this country, and flowers in August. age 
Duscr. A much branching shrvd, scandent and rooting 
its native country, in the same way as Ivy with us. Young 
branches hoary. Leaves approximate, patent, I four rows, 
small, half an inch long, almost. sessile, elliptical or ovato-ro- 
tundate, very obtuse, coriaceous, glossy, dark green above, 
somewhat hoary with minute appressed hairs more copious 
beneath, where they are also dotted, and where the ground- 
colour is paler: the margins are revolute: nerves about five, the 
lateral ones from near the base. Peduncles very short, three- 
JUNE lst, 1850. 
