356 Specimen of the Botany of New Zealand, 



XLII. — Florae Insularum Nova Zelandice Precursor; or a 

 Specimen of the Botany of the Islands of Neiv Zealand, 

 By Allan Cunningham, Esq. 



[Continued from p. 214.] 

 SAXIFRAGACEiE, DC. (Escalloniece, sp. R. Br.) 

 1. Quintinia, Alph. De Cand. 

 Calycis tubus ovario adhgerens, nervis 10 subnotatus : limbus 5-dentatus, 

 persistens. Petala 5-obovata. Stamina 5, patentia, petalis alterna. 

 Stylus columnari-filiformis. Stigma peltato-capitatum, 4 — 5-lobum. 

 Capsula stylo calycinisque dentibus coronata, 5-locularis, dissepimentis 

 subincompletis, loculis polyspermis. Semina parva, ovato-compressa. — 

 Arbores 20-30 pedales. Folia alterna, petiolata, coriacea, Integra seu 

 serrata. Flores spicati, vel paniculati, albi. 

 515. Q. serrata ; foliis ovato-lanceolatis lanceolatisve acuminatis undula- 

 tis serratis supra farinoso-squamatis, subtus punctatis fuscatis, spicis 

 axiliaribus ramosis multifloris folio brevioribus. A. C. Ms. 

 New Zealand (Northern Island). Forests at the sources of the Kana- 

 Kana river and elsewhere, on the shores of the Bay of Islands, flowering in 

 November. — 1826, A. Cunningham. 



Obs* Arbor sempervirens, elegans, ramosa, 20-30 pedalis. Kami alterni, 

 teretes, glabri. Folia alterna, breve petiolata, coriacea, 3 — 4 pollices longa. 



* The type of this genus, a native of New South Wales, may be thus cha- 

 racterized : — 



Q. Sieberi (melius integrifolia), foliis ovato-acuminatis coriaceis venosis 

 integerrimis glabris subtus discoloribus, paniculis terminalibus ramosis, ramis 

 patentibus. Alph. De Cand. in'Monogr. Campari, (1830), p. 92. DC. Prodr. 

 iv. p. 5. — Ericineis Campanulaceisve affinis. Sieb. PI. Sic. Nov. Holl., p. 

 261. 



Hob. In Nova Cambria Australi, in sylvis densis humidis prope littora. 

 — 1834, R. Brown. — 1818, A. Cunningham. 



A remarkable tree, assuming occasionally (like some Fici) of equinoctial 

 countries) a parasitical growth, as will appear from the following memoran- 

 dum, made some years ago in one of its native forests. It may be premised, 

 that in the centre of the Blue Mountain chain, directly west from Port 

 Jackson, is a remarkable eminence, called Tomah, the height of which, 

 above the level of the ocean, has been ascertained to exceed 3500 feet. Be- 

 fore the axe of the colonist was carried to the base of that mountain, in the 

 great chain, viz. prior to 1823, Tomah had its flanks and summits clothed 

 Avith a dense vegetation, consisting of timber trees, loving shade and moisture, 

 laden with orchideous Epiphytes, and borne down heavily by gigantic climb- 

 ers ; and beneath them, in deep shade, flourished many a noble specimen of 

 an arborescent fern (the Cibotium Billardieri of Kaulfuss), which was not 

 previously known to exist in New South Wales. On the side of the mountain 

 was then to be observed a remarkable instance of the disposition of the 

 Quintinia to attach itself to other plants by means of cauline roots, that may 

 be worthy notice. 



A large Quintinia (Sieberi, A. DC.) grew near to an aged Cibotium. 

 full 35 feet high, and having a distinct trunk in the soil. At about 6 feet 



