Platk 166.— ASCARINA LUCIDA. 



Family CHT.ORANTHACE^.] [Genus ASCARINA, Forst. 



Ascarina lucida, Hook. /. Fl. Nov. Zel. i, 228 ; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 598. 



Although there are numerous evidences of Polynesian affinity in the New 

 Zealand flora, there are only six genera which are absolutely confined to the two 

 areas — MeJicytus, Corynocarpus, Meryta, Schefflera. Ascarina, and Earina. From 

 the point of view of plant distribution Ascarina is perhaps the most interesting 

 of these, for it belongs to a fainily (Chloranthacecp) which is not found in any 

 part of Australia, and which, together with Coriariacece, constitute the only families 

 of the New Zealand flora that do not occur in that country. 



Six species of Ascarina are now known, all of them being very closely allied. 

 The type of the genus is A. folystachya, Forst.. whicli is apparently confined to 

 Tahiti. A. lanceolata, originally described from tlie Kermadec Islands, has since 

 been recorded by Seemann from the Fiji Islands, by Powell and others from Samoa, 

 and by myself from Rarotonga. Three species at least occur in New Caledonia— 

 A. rubricaulis, A. alticola, and A. Solmsiana. Finally, there is A. lucida. the 

 subject of this plate, which only differs from A. lanceolata in the shorter, 

 broader, and more obtuse leaves, and in the smaller anthers. 



For the first discovery of Ascarina lucida we have to go back as far as January, 

 1770, when it was collected by Banks and Solander in Queen Charlotte Sound during 

 Cook's first voyage. It was not seen again until 1846. when Mr. Colenso gathered 

 it in swampy forests in the Wairarapa Valley. It has since been observed in a 

 considerable number of localities between Hokianga in the north, and Stewart 

 Island in the south, but is rarely seen in any quantity except on the western side 

 of the South Island, where it appears to be abundant, especially in the Westport 

 district, and in some of the Sounds on the south-west of Otago. The Stewart 

 Island locality rests on the authority of Mr. T. Kirk, who appears to have examined 

 specimens collected by Mr. C. Traill (see Trans. N.Z. Inst, xxix (1897). 539). It 

 descends to sea-level at Cape Foulwind, near Westport ; and I saw a solitary plant 

 near the summit of the Little Barrier Island, at an altitude of about 2,200 ft. 



Very little is known of the properties of Ascarina. Both A. lucida and 

 A. lanceolata are highly aromatic ; and in Samoa, according to Mr. Powell, the 

 leaves of the latter were used for perfuming oils. It is quite possible that the 

 Maoris may have used the leaves of A. lucida for imparting a pleasant scent to 

 fat, just as they were in the habit of using the leaves of Panax Edgerleyi and 

 other fragrant plants. 



Plate 16G. Ascarina lucida, drawn from specimens collected by Mr. Townson at. Cape Foulwind. 

 near Westport. Fig. 1. margin of leaf (x3); 2. bracts ( x 8) ; 3, male inflorescence (x.5); i, anther 

 ( X 8) ; o. rudimentHrv pistil (x 5) : 6, female inflorescence (x .5) ; 7. two female flowers, one with the 

 pistil removed { x 8) ; 8. longitudinal section of ovary ( x 8) ; 9, transverse section of ovary { x 8) ; 

 10. ovule (X 10). 



