Cheeseman. — On the Genus Coprosma. 245 



prostrate, tortuous and often interlaced, often zigzag, puberulous ; 

 bark yellowish-brown or dark-brown. Leaves in close or remote 

 opposite pairs or fascicles, i-f inch long, J^ inch wide, very 

 uniform in shape, narrow-linear, obtuse or sub-acute, sub-erect, 

 rather rigid, veinless. Flowers apparently lateral, but in reality 

 terminating minute arrested branchlets. Males: solitary, or 

 in fascicles of 2-4, True calyx w'autiug, but one or two invo- 

 lucels present, composed of depauperated leaves and their 

 stipules. Corolla broadly campanulate, ^ inch long, 4-lobed to 

 below the middle. Stamens 4, rarely 5. Females always soli- 

 tary, invested at the base by calycine involucres similar to those 

 of the males. Calyx adnate to the ovary, limb minutely 

 4-toothed. Corolla -^ inch long, tubular, 4-lobed. Drupe 

 globose, variable in size, ^-^ inch, pale blue. 



Var. a. — Sand-dune form. Yellowish-green ; branches long, 

 Blender, much and closely interlaced. Leaves close set, rather 

 long and slender. Flowers usually solitary. 



Var. j3. — Inland and mountain form. Browner and darker ; 

 branches not so numerous, stouter and more rigid ; leaves often 

 short and stiff; male flowers usually fascicled. 



The typical form of this species is a most abundant plant on 

 sand-hills all round the New Zealand coast. It has long weak 

 flexuous and tortuous branches, which are usually much and 

 closely interlaced, thus forming a dense scrambliug bush 1-5 

 feet high, Var, /3 is by no means common in the North Island, 

 but is plentiful in the elevated central districts of the South 

 Island, Extreme forms of it, with few prostrate branches, 

 shorter and stiffer, much more remote leaves, look very different 

 to the typical state ; but intermediates are common. As a 

 species, C. acerosa is at once distinguished by its peculiar habit, 

 extremely narrow leaves, and sky-blue drupe. 



23. C. propinqua. 



A. Cunn. Prodr., ii., p. 200 ; Hook, fil., Flora Nov. Zeal., i., p. 109 ; Handbk. 

 N.Z. Flora, p. 116 ; Eaoul, Choix des Plantes, p. 46. Pelaphia parvi- 

 folia, Banks et Sol,, MSS. 



No7-th Island. — Abundant throughout, in swampy forests or 

 by the sides of rivers. 



South Island. — Not uncommon, extending as far as Stewart 

 Island. 



Chatham Islands. — H. Travers ! 



Altitudinal range from sea-level to 1,500 feet. 



A large branching shrub or small tree, 6-20 feet high. 

 Branches widely divaricating, glabrous or puberulous at the tips ; 

 bark brown, or brownish-grey. Leaves opposite or in opposite 

 pairs, usually rather distant, J-^ inch long, -^-^ inch wide, 

 narrow linear-oblong, obtuse or sub-acute, rather coriaceous, 



