48 VIOLARIE. [Melicytus. 
Var. longiusculus. — Leaves usually larger, 3-lin., oblong-obovate. 
Flowers on longer pedicels. Fruit small, globose, 1} in. 
_ Var. microphyllus.—Leaves smaller, }-}in., orbicular-obovate. Pedicels 
shorter. Fruit large, ovoid, 4+in.—M. microphyllus, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. 
xix. (1887) 260, and xx. (1888) 189. 
NortH anp SourH Isnanps: Abundant in lowland forests, by the side of 
streams, &c., from the Bay of Islands to Otago. November—May. 
Hasily distinguished from all other species of Melicytus by the stifi rigid 
habit, small leaves, and minute few-seeded berries. It is exceedingly variable ; 
and the two varieties characterized above are certainly connected by inter- 
mediate forms. I am much indebted to Mr. Carse for a fine series of flowering 
and fruiting specimens of both varieties, collected near Mauku, where they 
appear to grow intermixed. Mr. Colenso’s herbarium also contains numerous 
well-selected specimens. 
38. HYMENANTHERA, R. Br. 
Rigid woody shrubs. Leaves alternate or fascicled, entire or 
‘toothed ; stipules minute, fugacious. Flowers small, regular, her- 
maphrodite or unisexual, solitary or fascicled, axillary or on the 
naked branches below the leaves. Sepals 5, obtuse, united at the 
base. Petals 5, rounded at the tip. Anthers 5, sessile, connate 
into a tube surrounding the pistil; connectives terminating in a 
toothed or fimbriate process, and furnished with an erect scale at 
the back. Style short; stigma 2-fid, rarely 3-4-fid. Fruit a small 
subglobose berry ; seeds usually 2, rarely 3-4. 
A small genus of about half a dozen species, found in New Zealand, Aus- 
tralia and Tasmania, and Norfolk Island. The New Zealand species are 
exceedingly difficult of discrimination. They vary greatly in the leaves and 
vegetative characters generally; and the flowers and fruit, so far as they are 
known, are very similar in all. Most of them occur in localities which are not 
easily reached, making it difficult to secure specimens in a proper state for com- 
parison. 
Much- branched rigid maritime shrub. Leaves small, 
linear-spathulate or linear-obovate, 4—lin. long .. 1. 4. crassifolia. 
Shrub, often leafless. Branches flexuous or zigzag, inter- 
laced. Leaves linear or linear-cuneate,}$in.long .. 2. H. dentata, var. 
angustifolia. 
Slender glabrous shrub. Leaves oblong-obovate, ?-2 in. 
long, quite entire. Flowers solitary or geminate .. 3. H. obovata. 
Stout spreading shrub. Leaves large, 14-4in., ovate- 
oblong to obovate, sinuate-toothed. Flowers numerous. 
Berry 2-seeded Re se 2h Se AF 
Tall erect shrub. Leaves large, 3-5 in., lanceolate or ovate- 
lanceolate, serrate. Flowers numerous. Berry 4-seeded 5. H. chathamica. 
4. H. latifolia. 
1. H. crassifolia, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 17, t. 7.—A low rigid 
much-branched shrub 2-4 ft. in height; branches tortuous, stout 
and woody; bark white, furrowed; branchlets pubescent. Leaves 
alternate or fascicled, very thick and coriaceous, 4-l1}in. long, 
linear-spathulate or linear-obovate, entire sinuate or toothed, rarely 
lobed, rounded at the apex or retuse ; petioles very short. Stipules 
minute, fugacious. Flowers very small, solitary or few together, 
