4 
Qo 
FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. [ Anacardiacee. 
oblongis obovatisve acutis, floribus paucis, antheris pubescentibus, ovario 3-lobo, stylo recto apice 3-fido, 
coccis 3. 
Has. Northern Island. Open downs on the east coast, Colenso, 
Much the smallest species of the genus known to me; it appears to have running underground branching roots, 
that are slender, white, and succulent. 
Nar. Orv. XXII. ANACARDIACEA, Br. 
Gen. I. CORYNOCARPUS, Forst. 
Calyx profunde 5-lobus, imbricatus. Petala 5, disco inserta, calycis lobis alterna, imbricata, margini- 
bus erosis. Discus hypogynus incrassatus, 5-lobus. Stamina 5, disco inserta, petalis alterna; filamentis 
erectis, apice incurvis; antheris adnatis, introrsis, 2-locularibus, longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Sguamule 
perigynee 5, disci lobis incrassatis inserte, staminibus alterne, petaloidese, eroso-dentate. Ovarium 1, 
sessile, elongato-ovatum, 1-loculare; stylo brevi; stigmate simplici, vix incrassato ; ovulo solitario, anatropo, 
prope apicem loculi funiculo brevi suspenso. Fructus baccatus; endocarpio coriaceo, nervoso ; semen pen- 
dulum, albuminosum, loculo conforme ; testa membranacea, venosa, loculi parietibus adheerente; cotyledo- 
nibus crassis, oblongis, plano-convexis; radicula minima, hilo proxima, supera.—Arbor glaberrima Nove 
Zelandie, inodora, insapida. Folia alterna, exstipulata, breve petiolata, obovata, subacuta, integerrima, 
lucida. Panicule terminales, ramose, erecta. Flores virides, brevissime pedicellati. Fructus drupaceus ; 
pulpo eduli. 
A very well-known, small, bright evergreen, leafy tree, 40 feet high; common, especially along the shores. 
Leaves large, shining, alternate, on short stout petioles, rather coriaceous, 4-7 inches long, oblong or lanceolate, 
hardly acute, quite smooth and entire. Flowers small, globose, 2 lines across, greenish-white, inodorous, on very 
short stout pedicels, disposed in thyrsoid terminal erect spreading panicles, 4 inches or so long. Calyw of five rounded 
toothed lobes, fleshy. Petals five, as long as the calyx lobes, concave, rounded, toothed, inserted into a broad fleshy 
disc, which has five thickened lobes opposite the petals, on which as many obovate toothed petal-like scales are placed. 
Stamens five, alternate with the petals; filaments stout, erect, incurved at the apex; anthers adnate, two-celled, 
bursting inwards longitudinally. Ovary small, one-celled, one-ovuled, narrowed into an erect style, with a simple 
glandular stigma; ovule pendulous. Fruit an oblong purple berry, nearly an inch long; pulp eatable, surrounding 
a coriaceous endocarp, which is strongly veined, almost fibrous; seed large, pendulous, with a membranous veined 
testa adhering to and lining the inner wall of the cell. Cotyledons very large, oblong, plano-convex ; radicle very 
small, superior. 
This curious plant has been supposed to be allied to Myrsinee ; chiefly, I presume, from the large lucid leaves, 
for in all characters of the flowers and fruit it differs widely from that Order, as also in the want of glands in the 
leaf, etc. It more nearly resembles Theophrastee in the scales (abortive stamina), but differs in all the many 
other points which that Order has in common with Myrsinee. Sapotee offers several points of resemblance, but 
mainly in the presence of scales, and differs materially in its osseous testa, monopetalous flowers, valvate calyx, 
many-celled ovary, foliaceous cotyledons, milky juice, inflorescence, etc. In the structure of the fruit it shows 
a very marked relation to Inocarpus, a genus of dubious affinity. Its technical characters bring it nearer Anacar- 
diacee than any other Order, and I have accordingly placed it here, though unable to indicate direct affinity with 
any plant of that Order, except perhaps with Mangifera (the Mango), which has a similar structure of flower and 
fruit, excepting that the sguamulz are absent on the disc of that genus, and all the stamens are fertile in Corynocar- 
pus. There is no trace of resinous flavour in any part of this plant. The wood is light, but useless; the embryo 
is considered poisonous till steeped in salt water, when (like the Mango kernel and /nocarpus seed) it is used as 
food in time of scarcity. (Name from xopvvn, a club, and kapros, fruit, from the shape of the latter.) 
