PuaTE 14.—HYMENANTHERA NOV AL-ZELANDIA. 
Famity VIOLARIE4. | [Genus HYMENANTHERA, R. Br. 
Hymenanthera nove-zelandiz, Hemsl. in Kew Bulletin, 1908, 95. 
H. latifolia, 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iii (1871), 163; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 50, non Endl. 
The first discoverer of this plant was the Australian botanist Richard 
Cunningham, who, in 1834, collected fruiting specimens on maritime rocks opposite 
the Cavallos Islands, between the Bay of Islands and Whangaroa. His brother, 
Allan Cunningham, the talented author of the well-known “ Precursor Flore Insularum 
Nove Zelandiw,” altogether mistook the affinities of the plant, and erroneously 
described it as a Scevola, under the name of S. nove-zelandie. Sir J. D. Hooker, 
when engaged on the “ Flora Nove Zelandiz,” correctly transferred it to Hymen- 
anthera, but unfortunately confused it with another species of the genus plentiful in 
coastal localities on both sides of Cook Strait, to which he apphed the name of 
H. crassifolia. The plate given by Hooker in the Flora was such an accurate 
representation of the southern species that no suspicion was raised in the minds 
of New Zealand botanists as to Cunningham’s piant being in any way different. 
In 1867 Mr. Buchanan collected a large-leaved Hymenanthera in the North 
Cape district, and about the same time Mr. Kirk obtained the same plant on the 
Great and Little Barrier Islands. Influenced by its evident similarity to the Norfolk 
Island H. latifolia, Mr. Kirk referred it to that species, and in the absence of any 
means of comparing the two plants this identification was acquiesced in by New 
Zealand botanists. When the preparation of this work was taken in hand it became 
desirable to settle the matter, and at my request Mr. Hemsley made a comparison 
of the New Zealand and Norfolk Island plants, with the result of proving the 
distinctness of the two. Proceeding to compare the whole of the New Zealand 
Hymenantherew, Mr. Hemsley further ascertained that Cunningham’s Sc@vola nove- 
zelandie was identical with Buchanan’s and Kirk’s plant. That being the case, 
the name under which it will be known in the future must be H. nove-zelandie, 
Hemsl. 
Our plant is decidedly rare on the mainland of New Zealand, the only localities 
that I am acquainted with being two or three on the North Cape Peninsula, and 
Cunningham’s original station at Matauri Bay, opposite the Cavallos Islands. But 
it is plentiful on almost all the outlying islands, from the Three Kings Group south- 
wards to Mayor Island and Karewa Island, in the Bay of Plenty. It can be readily 
distinguished from all the New Zealand species except H. Traversw by the large 
and broad sinuate-toothed leaves and numerous flowers. H. Traversi is so close 
to it that Mr. Hemsley has suggested that it should be treated as a variety only ; 
but its leaves are longer and narrower, and more sharply serrate, and the berries 
are said to be 4-seeded. 
Puate 14. Aymenanthera nove-zelandie, drawn from male, female, and fruiting specimens 
collected on the Little Barrier Island by Miss Shakespear. Fig. 1, male flower (x 6); 2, calyx and 
stamens (x6); 3, three stamens seen from the inner side, showing the large fimbriate con- 
nectives (x 12); 4, single stamen seen from the inner side (x 12); 5, single stamen, showing the 
adnate scale on the back of the connective (x 12); 6, scale seen separately (x 12); 7, female flower 
(x6); 8, pistil, with rudimentary stamens at the base (x6); 9 and 10, front and back view 
of rudimentary stamens (x8); 11, ripe fruit (x2); 12, section of ovary, showing ovules (x 8) ; 
13, seed (x 2); 14, section of seed (x 3); 15, embryo (x 10). 
