598 CHLORANTHACEZ. [Ascarina. 
late, acuminate, narrowed into the petiole, dark - green and 
glossy above, paler beneath; margins coarsely serrate, the teeth 
often curved and acute; petioles 4-$in. long. Spikes closely 
branched in a racemiform manner, 1-2in. long; branches oppo- 
site, springing from the axils of a pair of connate bracts. Male 
flowers alone seen, rather closely placed, each one in the axil of 
a broadly ovate acute bract, and with a smaller bracteole on each 
side. Anther sessile, 4in. long, linear-oblong, cylindric; con- 
nective thick, produced at the tip into a minute usually recurved 
apiculus. 
KERMADEC IsLANDS: Sunday Island, not uncommon on the hills, McGilliv- 
TOY sila Nee August-September. 
This was reduced to A. lucida in the Handbook, but appears to be 
sufficiently distinct in the larger and narrower more acuminate leaves, and 
larger anthers. The same species, or a very close ally, is found in Fiji, Samoa, 
and Rarotonga. 
2. A. lucida, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 228.—A perfectly gla- 
brous closely branched shrub or small tree 10-25 ft. high, with a 
trunk 6-12in. diam.; branches slender, terete, striate when dry, 
dark purplish-red. Leaves 1-2in. long including the petiole, 
obovate-ovlong to elliptic-oblong or linear-oblong, obtuse or acute, 
cuneate at the base, dark-green and glossy above, often glaucous 
beneath, margins coarsely and often obtusely serrate; petioles din. 
long. Spikes laxly branched in a racemiform manner, the females 
more slender and more sparingly divided than the males; branches 
opposite, pendulous. Flowers minute, alternate, each one in the 
axil of a broadly ovate acute bract with a smaller bracteole on each 
side. Anther sessile, oblong, ;4,in. long. Female flowers some- 
times 2 or 3 together. Ovary broadly ovoid; stigma very broad, 
truncate. Ripe fruit not seen. — Handb. N.Z. Fl. 253. A. rubri- 
caulis, Solms in D.C. Prodr. xvi. 1, 478 (in part). 
Nort Istanp: Auckland — Hokianga, Buchanan; Bay of Islands, Kirk ; 
Whangarei, H. Carse, T. F. C.; Little Barrier Island, 7’. #.C.; Coromandel, 
Petrie! Waitakarei Ranges, T. F. C.; near Waihi, Petrie! Taranaki—Mount 
Egmont, Buchanan. Wellington — Wairarapa Valley, Colenso! SoutH 
IstanD: Marlborough—Queen Charlotte Sound, Banks and Solander; Kene- 
peru, J. Rutland! Nelson—Cape Foulwind, W. Townson! Westland—R. 
Helms. Otago—Common in the sounds of the south-west coast, Hector! 
Preservation Inlet, Kirk! Stewart Isuanp: C. Traiil. Sea-level to 2500 ft. 
September—November. 
Although this extends through almost the whole length of the colony it is 
remarkably local, rarely occurring in any quantity. It is perhaps more abund- 
ant in the south-west of Otago than in any other locality. 
Orver LXVIII. MONIMIACE A. 
Trees or shrubs, often aromatic. Leaves opposite, rarely alter- 
nate, simple; stipules wanting. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite 
or unisexual, usually in short cymes or racemes. Perianth inferior, 
