Plate 13G.~GEN1()ST0MA LIGUSTRIFOLIUM. 



Family LOdANIACE.E. 1 [Genus GENIOSTOMA, Fokst. 



Geniostoma ligustrifolium, A. ('uini. I'recur. ii. 101 ; Cheeseiii. Man. S.Z. Fl. 444. 



Geniostotna ligustrifolium is such a widely spread plant in the North Island that 

 it could hardly escape the notice of the first investigators of the botany of the 

 country. Hence it is not at all surprising that Banks and Solander, in Cook's first 

 voyage, gathered it in every locality that they visited, with the exception of Poverty 

 Bay. And this exception is easily accounted for, not because the plant does not 

 exist there, but from the attitude of the Maoris, which was so threatening as to 

 prevent the explorers from entering any copse or thicket, much less forest, in which 

 stations alone could Geniostotna be observed. A full description and excellent plate 

 were prepared under the direction of Solander, and still remain among the 

 unpublished manuscripts in the Natural History Department of the British 

 Museum. 



After Cook's time all botanists visiting the North Island observed our plant. 

 Its northern limit is the Three Kings Island and the North Cape, from which it 

 extends southwards to Cook Strait. It is, however, purely a lowland plant, and I 

 have not seen it at a greater elevation than about 2,000 ft. It also becomes com- 

 paratively scarce to the south of Wanganui and Napier. In the South Island it 

 has been recorded from Marlborough by Buchanan, and from Pepin Island, to the 

 north of Nelson, by Mr. F. G. Gibbs. 



Geniostoma ligustrifolium is a perfectly smooth and glabrous much branched 

 shrub 4 ft. to 12 ft. high, with brittle branches and soft pale-green leaves. Its 

 leaves and young twigs have a peculiar heavy smell when bruised, which is still 

 more conspicuous when the plant is in flower. It is readily eaten by cattle, which 

 quickly break it down in all forests in which they are plentiful. It is well known 

 to the Maoris by the name of hangehange, but I cannot ascertain that it was 

 applied to any use by them, except that of preparing an extract which was 

 considered to be a cure for certain skin-diseases in children. 



Plate 136. Geniostoma ligustrifolium , drawn from specimens collected fdi Raugitoto Island, near 

 Auckland. Fig. 1, flower just expanding (x 4) ; 2, the same fully expanded (x 4) ; 3, section of 

 flower with the corolla removed, showing calyx and ovary (x 6) ; 4, corolla laid open (x 4) : 5 and 

 6, front and back view of anthers (x 10) : 7, transverse section of (jvary (x 8) ; 8, ripe fruit (x 2) : 

 9, seed (x 5). 



