228 FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. | Chloranthacee. 
broadly cordate, acuminate, five- to seven-nerved at the two-lobed base ; petioles dilated below, winged, with adnate 
stipules. Spadices axillary, generally two together, peduncled, 1 inch long. Berries yellow, eaten, but not the seeds, 
which are rejected. (Name, rerepu, in Greek.) 
1. Piper excelsum, Forst.; caule fruticoso v. subarboreo, foliis late cordatis subacuminatis, petiolis 
basi stipulis adnatis alatis, spadicibus geminis solitariisve strictis erectis breve peduneulatis. Forst. Prodr. 
A. Rich. Flora. A. Cunn. Prodr. P. myristicum, Banks et Sol. MSS. et Ic. Macropiper excelsum, Miquel, 
Monogr. Pip. 
Haz. Northern and Middle Islands, as far south as Banks’ Peninsula, Banks and Solander, etc. Nat. 
name, “Kawa Kawa” (piquant), Col. (Cultivated in England.) 
Gen. II. PEPEROMIA, Ruiz et Pav. 
Bractee peltate, crasse. Stigma capitatum, globosum, villosum. 
Small succulent herbs, found in all tropical and subtropical countries, differing from Piper only in the fleshy 
bracts and capitate stigma. The New Zealand species is very similar to, if not the same, as a South Sea Island 
one ; but the species of this genus are fleshy, and consequently preserve badly, so that they cannot be easily ex- 
amined in a dried state. P. Urvilleana is a perfectly smooth or very faintly pubescent, succulent, branching herb, 
frequenting mossy banks and the trunks of trees. Stems branched at the prostrate base, 4-10 inches high. Leaves 
alternate, shortly petioled, broadly obovate or elliptical-oblong, three-nerved at the base, i-l inch long. Spadix 
peduncled, axillary, solitary, erect, 1-13 inch long. (Name from its affinity to Piper.) 
1. Peperomia Urvilleana, A. Rich. ; glaberrima, caule procumbente ramoso, foliis alternis breve petio- 
latis late obovatis elliptico-oblongisve obtusis, spadicibus axillaribus solitariis erectis. A. Rich. FI. 4. Cunn. 
Prodr. Mig. Monogr. Pip. Piper insipidum, Banks et Sol. MSS. et Ic. 
Has. Northern Island. Common in damp woods, etc., Banks and Solander, etc. 
Nar. Og». LXXX. CHLORANTHACEA, Br. 
Gen. I. ASCARINA, Forst. 
Dioica. Flores laxe spicati, l-bracteati. Fi. 3. Anthera oblonga, 2-locularis, 4-sulea. Fr.9. 
Ovarium sessile, 1-loculare, globosum v. oblongum, 1-ovulatum. Stigma sessile, depressum. 
A very curious genus of shrubby plants, of which the only species hitherto (and that imperfectly) known is a 
native of the Sandwich Islands. The New Zealand one is a small tree, 12—14 feet high, everywhere perfectly 
smooth. Stems jointed. Leaves 2 inches long, opposite, petioled, stipulate, linear-oblong or obovate, blunt, coarsely 
bluntly serrate, bright green above, glaucous below. —Sfipules short, connate with the petiole. Inflorescence of four 
to eight racemed, slender, opposite spikes, 3-3 inch long. Flowers very minute, green, sessile, alternate. Bract 
minute. Perianth 0. Ovary sessile, ovate, with a blunt stigma, one-celled and with one pendulous ovule.—Male 
flower unknown. (Name from ackapıs, à small white worm, which the anthers resemble.) 
1. Ascarina Zueida, Hook. fil.; fruticosa, foliis petiolatis obovato- v. elliptico-oblongis obtusis grosse 
obtuse serratis supra leete viridibus subtus glaucis, spicis 9 gracilibus paniculatis oppositis, paniculis folio 
brevioribus, floribus minimis. Trophis lucida, Banks et Sol. MSS. et Ic. 
Has. Northern Island. Totara-nui, Banks and Solander. Swamps, Wairarapa Valley, Colenso. 
