Pj.ate 175.— PIMELEA SUTERI. 



Family THYMELJCACE^.] ^Genus PIMELEA, Banks & Sol. 



Pimelea Suteri, T. Kirk m Trans. N.Z. Insl. xxvi (1894), 259 ; Clieesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 613. 

 So far as I can ascertain, Pimelea Suteri was originally discovered by Sir- David 

 Monro on Dun Mountam, Nelson, about the year 1854. Specimens were com- 

 muiiicated to Sir J. D. Hooker at Kew, and were considered by hi.n to be an alpine 

 state ot P. fwstrata (now known as P. laevigata). In the "Handbook" Hooker 

 included It m his var. y of P. prostrata, although, as Mr. Kirk correctly remarks 

 / . ^Mten never has ovate or truly acute leaves, and the hairs are mostly confined to' 

 the margins and apices of the leaves. In 1868 specimens gathered on Dun Mountain 

 by Mr. P. Lawson were communicated to Mr. T. Kirk, who appears to have also 

 exammed others collected by Mr. W. T. L. Travers and Mr. R I Kiugsley In 

 1881 I observed It m the same locality, and it has since been repeatedly gathered 

 by Mr. t. G. Gibbs who has kindly favoured me with the specimens from which 

 the accompanymg plate has been prepared. 



As a species P Suteri is allied to P. lavigata and P. Lyallii, but differs fr.jm 

 both m Its peculiar habit, and in the much narrower leaves, which have their raarLnns 

 and apices ciiate with long hairs. These hairs are also occasionally present on 

 each side of the midrib on the back of the leaf, as shown in fig. 1 of the plate 

 I have not seen ripe fruit, but Mr. Kirk states that "it is quite unlike that 

 ot any other species. ' He describes it as " baccate, ovate-acuminate, hairy at 

 the apex, opaque, red." The fruit of P. Iwvigata is white, and often almost 

 translucent. 



AT ^P- ^''-o^'^'^ present time P. Suteri has not been found except on the Dun 

 Mountain Kange, where it is not uncommon at an altitude of from 2 500 ft to 

 3,500 it. It IS worth remark that three other species— i^aowZia Gihhsii, Myosotis 

 Monroi, a^nd Veronica Gibbsii-are apparently confined to the same mountain chain 

 It should be stated that Ptmelea Suteri is named in honour of the late Right 

 . !: ^/"-^^iter. Bishop of Nelson, who for many years paid considerable attention 

 to the botany of the Nelson District. 



Plate 175 Pimelea Suteri, di^wii from specimens collected by Mr. F. G. Gibb.s on Dun Mountain 

 Nelson at an altitude of 4,000 ft. F,g. 1, tip of branchlet, showing leaves ( x 5) ; 2, male flower, ^vith 

 included style (x 5) ; 3 perianth of same laid open (x 6) ; 4, female flower, with exserted style x 5 • 

 0, perianth of same laid open ( x 6) ; 6, longitudinal section of ovary ( x 8) ; 7, ovule ( x 10). 



