254 RUBIACER. [Coprosma. 
villous ; bark pale-grey. Leaves usually close-set, fascicled on 
short lateral branchlets, }-2in. long, obovate or linear-obovate or 
linear-oblong, rounded at the top or rarely subacute, narrowed 
into a short petiole, coriaceous, glabrous or the petioles and midrib 
pubescent; margins flat or slightly recurved; veins not con- 
spicuous. Stipules broad, pubescent or villous. Flowers involu- 
cellate, solitary or in 2-4-flowered fascicles. Male flowers: Calyx 
wanting. Corolla j,in. long, broadly campanulate, 4-5-partite 
almost to the base. Females: Calyx-limb minutely 4—5-toothed. 
Corolla ;;in., tubular, 4-lobed. Drupe globose, fin. diam.,. 
variable in colour, bluish or violet-blue or quite black.—Handb. 
N.Z. Fl. 116; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. (1887) 241; Kirk, 
Students’ Fl. 238. C. myrtillifolia, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 21; 
Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 108. 
Var. pilosa.—Much more slender and more sparingly branched. Leaves 
broader, thin and membranous; margins and both surfaces ciliate with soft 
tawny hairs. 
Var. dumosa.—Branches stiff and rigid, often interlacing, villous. Leaves 
smaller, 4-4 in. long, narrow linear-oblong, very thick and coriaceous. 
NortyH anp SoutH Isntanns, StEwaRT IsLAND, AUCKLAND AND CAMPBELL 
Istanps: Abundant throughout, ascending to over 4000 ft. October— 
January. 
An extremely variable plant, found in many diverse stations ; abundant in 
rich alluvial soils in lowland forests, and quite as plentiful in high mountain 
valleys or on steep mountain slopes. Its distinguishing characters are the leafy 
habit, uniformly pubescent branches, obovate or linear-obovate coriaceous leaves, 
and small globose drupes. The varieties described above look distinct in their 
extreme forms, but are connected with the type by numerous intermediates. 
Var. pilosa approaches very close to C. ciliata, the flowers of which, however, 
are quite unknown. 
20. C. ramulosa, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii. (1895): 
405.— A slender much-branched prostrate or decumbent shrub 
2-4 ft. high; branches wide-spreading, the younger ones faintly 
pubescent; bark pale-brown or grey. Leaves opposite or fascicled 
on opposite twigs, +in. long, about in. broad, linear-obovate, 
rounded at the apex, narrowed into a short petiole or almost sessile, 
coriaceous or almost membranous, margins flat, veins indistinct. 
Stipules deltoid, acute, pale-grey or almost white. Male flowers 
solitary, terminating short lateral branchlets, involucellate. Calyx 
wanting. Corolla +in., campanulate, 4-5-partite. Female flowers 
not seen. Drupe globose, 4in. diam., dark-red.—Kirk, Students’ 
Fl. 236. C. pubens, Petrie, l.c. xxvi. (1894) 267 (not of A. Gray). 
Norru Istanp: Mount Hikurangi, Petrie! Mount Egmont, 7. F. C. 
SourH Isnanp: Arthur’s Pass and Kelly’s Hill, Petrie! Kirk! Cockayne! 
T. F. C.; Broken River, Cockayne ! 2500-5000 ft. 
I have not seen good flowering specimens of this. In foliage it approaches 
certain states of C. parviflora, and the fruit resembles that of C. rhamnoides ; 
but it differs from both in the slender rambling or prostrate habit. 
