Araliacee. | FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 95 
This genus, in its present state, contains a heterogeneous mass of Araliacee, and is only distinguished from 
Panag (as that genus is now defined) in the many-celled ovary and many styles. A thorough revision of the 
Natural Order would probably lead to the establishment of several genera upon habit and inflorescence. It is found 
in various parts of the Old and New World, and in both temperate and tropical climates. (Name, Canadian for 
one of the genus.) 
$ a. STILBOCARPA. Herbaceous. Leaves stipulate. Inflorescence umbellate ; styles and stylopodia separate. 
1. Aralia polaris, Homb. et Jacq. ; polygama, herbacea, caule foliisque setis mollibus laxis obsitis, 
foliis maximis simplicibus longe petiolatis orbiculari-reniformibus multilobatis profunde cordatis dentatis 
Habellatim nervosis, umbellis maximis compositis densifloris partialibus multiradiatis: globosis, petalis late 
oblongis obtusis, fructibus depresso-sphericis exsuccis atris nitidis 3—4-locularibus. Homb. et Jacq. Voy. 
au Põle Sud, t. 2. Fl. Antarct. p. 19. Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 144. 
Has. Southern Island, Lyall, 
A very magnificent plant, originally found abundantly in Lord Auckland’s Group, where it appears to attain 
much greater luxuriance than in New Zealand, forming a rounded, bushy, herbaceous, annual-stemmed plant, with 
masses of green foliage and flowers, 4—5 feet high. Stems thick, hollow, stout, much branched, covered, as well as 
the leaves, with soft setze. Petioles 1-2 feet long, stout, with a ligulate leafy stipule at the base, as broad as two 
fingers, truncate and toothed, and lobed. Leaf orbicular-reniform, 1-2 feet across, with many shallow lobes and 
sharp teeth, many-nerved, glossy, coriaceous, deeply cordate at the base. Inflorescence very compound, of many 
globose umbels, irregularly involucrate; involueres leafy. Flowers unisexual, yellow, numerous, dense. Petals 
broadly obovate-spathulate, patent. — Stylopodia three to four, reniform, distant, placed in a sunk area at the top of 
the ovary; styles very short, recurved. Berries dry, jet-black, size of a tare, depressed, with a broad hollow disc 
above, three- to four-celled ; cells coriaceous.— This is certainly of a different genus from Aralia proper, but in 
the present confused state of the Natural Order it is not expedient to separate it in this local Flora, on grounds 
which an extensive examination of the Order may prove not to be the legitimate ones. Its remote stylopodia and 
styles appear the most prominent technical character, together with the habit, stipules, spongy dry black fruit, and 
obovate petals, which seem hardly valvate. Ihave proposed the name of Stilbocarpa, in allusion to the shining 
fruit. I have described this as forming, in Lord Auckland's Group, large orbieular masses of green foliage and 
waxy flowers, and presenting a very striking appearance. The black berries on the withered white stalks of a former 
year's plant have a singular effect. The whole plant has a heavy disagreeable smell, but is readily eaten by pigs 
and goats. 
$ b. ScruerrTLERA, Forst. Shrubby or arboreous. Leaves stipulate, compound, digitate. Umbels small, in large 
compound racemes or panicles. Styles united at the base. 
2. Aralia Schefflera, Spr. ; fruticosa v. arbuscula glaberrima, foliis longe petiolatis stipulatis digitatis 
sub-9-foliolatis, foliolis petiolatis lineari-ellipticis oblongis lanceolatisve acuminatis serrulatis lateralibus 
parvis, paniculis axillaribus v. caulinis folio longioribus, ramis primariis basi bracteolatis, umbellis 5-10- 
floris breve pedicellatis, floribus puberulis, stylis 10 basi coadunatis, bacca 10-loculari. DC. Prodr. 
4. Rich. Fl. A. Cunn. Prodr. A. polygama, Banks et Sol. MSS. et Te. Scheefflera digitata, Forst. Gen. 
Tas. XXII. 
Has. Throughout the Islands, abundant, Forster, etc. Nat. names, “Pate,” R. Cunn; “ Patate,” 
Middle Island, Zya//. (Cultivated in England.) 
A large, branching, smooth shrub, or small tree. Petioles 3-7 inches long, terete, with a broad, obtuse, adnate, 
axillary, sheathing stipule at the base (as in Panag arborea). Leaflets seven to eleven, radiating, petiolate, the larger 
4—7 inches long, lateral smaller and on shorter petioles, oblong-lanceolate in general outline, variable in breadth, 
acuminate, rather membranous, veined, sharply and finely serrate. Panicles axillary or from the branches, unisexual, 
