Tas. 8763. 
MELICYTUS RAMIFLORUS. 
New Zealand and Polynesia. 
VronacEak. Tribe ALSODEIEAE. 
Meticytus, Forst.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. i. p. 119. 
Melicytus ramiflorus, FYorst. Char. Gen. p. 124, t. 62; DC. Prodr, vol. i. 
p. 257; A. Rich. Ess. Fl. Nowv.-Zél. p. 818; A. Cunn. in Ann. Nat. 
Hist. vol. iv. p. 256; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. vol. i. p. 18, et Handb. New 
Zeal. Fl. p.17; Kirk, For. Fl. New Zeal. t. 8, et Students’ Fl. p. 42; 
Hemsl. in Journ. Linn. Soc. vol. xxx. p. 168; Gibbs, l.c. vol. xxxix. p. 140; 
Cheeseman, Man. New Zeal. Fl. p. 46, et Illustr. vol. i. t. 18; species 
M. macrophyllo, A Cunn., proxima, sed foliis floribus et fructibus minoribus 
facile distinguenda. 
Frutex magnus vel arbor ad 9 m. alta, dioicus, glaber; truncus 3-6 dm. 
diametro cortice griseo dense lenticellato. Folia alternata, petiolata, 
oblongo-lanceolata, apice acuminata vel acuta, rarius obtusa, basi cuneata, 
paulum undulata, serrata vel crenato-serrata, tenuiter coriacea, leviter 
nitida, supra atro-viridia, infra pallidiora, 5-15 em. longa, 2-5 em. lata ; 
petiolus 1-2 cm. longus; stipulae minutae, cito deciduae. lores incon- 
spicui, 5-9, in fasciculos axillares dispositi, saepe ad ramulos annotinos ex 
axillis foliorum delapsorum, pallide luteo-virides ; pedicelli graciles, 0°5- 
1-5 cm. longi, bracteis minutis 1-3 instructi. Calyx subpatelliformis, 
circiter 8 mm. diametro, dentibus 5 minutis triangularibus brunneis 
praeditus.  Petala 5, patentia, ovato-triangularia, vix 2 mm. longa, 
crassiuscula, obtusa vel subacuta. ¢: Stamina 5; antherae subsessiles, 
connectivo dorso squama majuscula suborbiculare nectarium minutum 
ferente instructo. Ovarii rudimentum parvum. 9: Staminorwm rudi- 
menta 5, minuta. Ovarium ovoideum, stigmate sessile 4—6-lobo coronatum. 
Bacca depresso-globosa, 4-5 mm. diametro, violaceo-coerulea. Semina 
saepe 6-8, brunnea, ovoideo-angulata, leviter foveolata, 2-2°5jmm. longa.— 
M. uwmbellatus, Gaertn. Fruct. vol. i. p. 206, t. 44, fig. 8. Tachites wmbel- 
lata, Soland. ex Gaertn. l.c. p. 206.—S. A. SKAN. 
The genus Melicytus comprises five or six species all 
of which, excepting that here figured, are restricted to 
New Zealand and the neighbouring islands. J. ramiflorus, 
originally discovered during Cook’s first voyage, 1768-71, 
occurs in both the North and South Islands of New 
Zealand, in Stewart Island and the Kermadec Islands, 
and is everywhere abundant up to an elevation of 
3,000 feet. It was collected in the island of Eua, Tonga 
Islands, by Mr. J. J. Lister. Miss L. 8. Gibbs, during 
Aprit-JuUNE, 1918, 
