PLATE 50.—METROSIDEROS ALBIFLORA. 
Famity MYRTACE| [Genus METROSIDEROS, Banks. 
Metrosideros albiflora, Sol. ex Gaertn. Fruct. i, 172. t. 34, f. 11; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. FI. 164. 
One of the most handsome species of the genus, at once recognized by the large 
broad leaves and conspicuous panicles of white flowers. For its discovery we have 
to go back to the year 1769, when it was collected by Banks and Solander at 
Mercury Bay during Cook’s first voyage, a locality where it is still abundant in 
those remnants of forest which have escaped the hands of the sawmiller. Solander 
gave a full description of it in his unpublished “ Primitie Flore Nove Zelandiz,”’ 
accompanied by an excellent plate. It does not seem to have been again noticed 
until 1826, when Allan Cunningham collected it at Whangaroa, unfortunately making 
the mistake of referring it to Forster’s M. diffusa. Shortly afterwards it was 
obtamed by Mr. Edgerly at Hokianga, and by others in various localities in the 
northern half of the North Island. The most southern locality that I am personally 
acquainted with is in the Bay of Plenty. Mr Kirk, in his “ Notes on the Botany of 
the East Cape District ” (Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxix (1897), 520), records it from thence, 
on the authority of Banks and Solander ; but, I think, erroneously, for the only locality 
given by Solander is that of “ Opuragi,” or Mercury Bay. On the west coast of 
the North Island I do not know of any station to the south of the Kaipara Harbour. 
Its northern limit appears to be on the Maungataniwha Ranges near Kaitaia. Its 
altitudinal range is from 250 ft. to 2,800 ft. 
The distribution of Metrosideros albiflora, both latitudinal and altitudinal, is 
very similar to that of the kauri (Agathis australis). But it is far more local, and 
is consequently absent from many localities where the kauri is abundant. 
Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the Metrosideros has a special predilection 
for kauri forests, and is more frequent therein than in ordinary forest. In other 
words, it belongs to the kauri association, an assemblage of species which on the 
whole always appears where the kauri is predominant. Common members of this 
association are Astelia trinervia, Gahnia zanthocarpa, Alseuosmia macrophylla, 
Dracophyllum latifolium, Senecio Kirkii, Lomaria Fraseri and L. discolor, and others 
which cannot be particularized here. 
Metrosideros is more highly developed in New Zealand than in any other 
country, and assumes a much more diversified form and habit of growth. No other 
country has climbing species, and no other country possesses a species which builds 
a lofty trunk for itself by the coalescence of aerial roots. It has been suggested 
that the climbing species have arisen on account of the presence of a moist atmosphere 
and equable climate. But this theory does not explam why the Polynesian and 
Malayan species, placed in a climate even more humid and equable, have not 
developed in a similar direction. 
Prate 50. Metrosideros albiflora, drawn from specimens collected by Mr. A. Gordon at Rua- 
tangata, Whangarei. Fig. 1, flower-bud (x4); 2, petal (x4); 3 and 4, front and back view of 
anthers (x 4); 5, upper part of style and stigma (x 4); 6, section of ovary (x 4) ; 7, ripe fruit (x 4) ; 
8, the same, showing dehiscence by three valves (x4); 9, abortive seed (x5); 10, seed (x 6); 
11, embryo (x 8). 
