Pittosporum.] PITTOSPOREX. OF 
NortH Istanp: Coast south of Mongonui, 7. 7. C. Whangaroa, Bu- 
chanan! Kirk! Great Barrier Island, Kirk! Kennedy’s Bay, 7. F. C.; hills 
near Tairua, Petrie ! September—October. 
The ferruginous pubescence, small terminal umbels, narrow sepals, and 
small globose capsule are the best characters of this species, which is nearest to 
P. ellipticum. The extreme variability of the leaves in the young plants is 
noteworthy. The mature stage, which is usually entire, is seldom attained 
until the tree has flowered for some years. 
10. P. ellipticum, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iv. (1872): 
266.—A small spreading tree with black bark, 15-25ft. high; 
branchlets, young leaves, and inflorescence densely covered with 
ferruginous tomentum. Leaves 2-4in. long, elliptic-oblong or 
elliptic-obovate to oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, quite en- 
tire, coriaceous; petioles short, stout. Flowers in terminal 2-5- 
flowered umbels; peduncles short, decurved. Sepals ovate-lan- 
ceolate, acute, densely tomentose. Petals recurved at the tips. 
Capsules broadly ovoid, slightly compressed, 2 in. diam., tomentose, 
2-valved ; valves faintly 2-lobed.—Kirk, Students’ Fl. 52. 
Var. ovatum, Kirk, 1.c.—Leayes smaller, spreading, broadly elliptical or 
obovate, rounded at the apex. Flowers not seen. 
Nortu Istanp : Whangaroa, Buchanan! Kirk! Mount Manaia, Whanga- 
rei Heads, Kirk! T. F. C.; coast north of the Manukau Harbour, Waitakerei 
West, 7. #. C. Var. ovatum: Whangaroa and Mount Manaia, Kirk ! Oc- 
tober. 
Allied to P. virgatum, but distinguished by the much larger and broader 
entire leaves, which do not differ in the young state, and by the larger flowers 
and capsules. 
11. P. Ralphii, 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iii. (1871) 161. 
—A laxly branched shrub 8-15ft. in height, with dark-brown 
bark; branchlets, undersurface of leaves, petioles, and inflorescence: 
densely clothed with thick white or bufftomentum. Leaves spread- 
ing, 2-din. long, oblong or oblong-obovate, quite entire, obtuse or 
acute, coriaceous, white with appressed tomentum beneath; mar- 
gins flat; petioles slender, $-3in. long. Flowers in terminal 
3-10-flowered umbels; peduncles as long as the petioles. Sepals 
narrow-ovate, acuminate, tomentose. Petals spreading or recurved 
at the tips. Capsules on rather slender peduncles, broadly ovoid, 
2in. long, pubescent, 3-valved.—Students’ Fl. 51. 
Nortu Isxuanp: Hast Cape district, not uncommon, Banks and Solander ! 
Colenso! H. Hill! Adams and Petrie! &c.; Hawke’s Bay, A. Hamilton! 
Upper Wanganui River, H. C. Field; Patea, Dr. Ralph! October—Novem- 
ber. 
Closely allied to P. crassifoliwm, but the leaves are much larger, oblong, 
not gradually narrowed into the petiole, and the margins are flat, not recurved,, 
while the capsules are much smaller. It is without doubt the P. crassifoliwm 
of Banks and Solander’s MSS., as is proved by their drawing and specimens; 
but unfortunately the name was applied by Putterlich and Cunningham to the: 
following plant. 
