192 



PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



Petals 4 or 5, recurved through half their length hack to the stem, pale-green 

 inside. Sepals 5, very narrow, pale-green. Leaves bright green, coriaceous in 

 the older stage, beautifully veined on the under surface. Capsule -S-valved ; 

 valves of a brilliant orange colour on the inside. North Island chiefly. South 

 Island : Pelorus Sound, and Titi Island. Fl. Sept. 



Pittosponim coDiifoIium, though possessed of rather insig- 

 nificant flowers of a dull [)ur[)le, has very show}' seeds. These^ 



Fig. 57. Pittosporum cornifoliuni— Flower (§ nat. size) 



as in other plants of the genus, are imbedded in gluten, which,, 

 in this case, is of a yellow colour. The seeds themselves are 

 blackish purple, and when the capsule opens, it discloses the- 

 inner side of the valves, which are of a bright orange. The 

 combination of colom-s is very striking. It is probably 

 intended to attract birds, but, apparently, no investigation has- 

 been made to ascertain whether the seeds pass uninjured 



