TEE ART ALBUM OF NJiW ZEALAND Vl.nllA 



hear tlKMiativc inline of " KiiiTajoiii;'." The New Zealand species arc : — I', di \ a iticATls, 

 a nuu'li-bvanelied slinil) ; P. HKTULINT.'S, a lofty tree, or slrajiU'Iiiii;- Imsli ; and 1*. i.v\i,i,ii, 

 a small tree. 



1. PLAGIANTHUS DIVARICATUS {Forst.) The Hrancli-s|.ivadin- Pla-iantliiis. 



SrEciFii' CiiAHACTiui. A rigid, fjiiiliroiis, imuli-liniiiclii'il 

 shrub, willi sli'iidt'r, s]ii'eailing, loufjli Imiiiclu's, siimll fa.'icitlid 

 k'lives, ami minute white llowers, succeeded hv small f;U>liose 

 capsules. Leaves 1 J in. long, nan-ow linear, or sub- 



cuueate, obtuse, quite entire, 1-uerved. Flowers in axillary- 

 fascicles or 1-llowcred ]ieduiick>s, shorter than the leaves, 



minvilelv bracleolalc near thc> liase. I'alvx heiiiis|iherii-al, 

 {jlahroiis. I'clals concave, ohlonn, small. Slaniinal Inhc willi 

 tv 10 large sessile anthers. Cupsulos size of ii ])ep|iereorn, 

 globose, rarelv didvmous, oblique, downy, bursting irregularly. 

 - Hnnilhimk of Xeir Xcalniiil F/orn, p. 30. 



Description, etc., Fig 1, I'late No. 11. — "Till-: HRANCII-SI'KEADING 



PLAGIANTHUS." — This hardy-looking shruh is ahuiulaiit in salt marshes, and aloii- 

 the hanks of tidal estuaries throughout the Islands, as far south as Canterhnry. It 

 is very compact in growth, and Forms dense masses ; its slender, tough hranches 

 spreading and interlacing so as to I'orm an impenetrahlc sciuh. It alVords most exc(>l- 

 lent slielter, and should he useful to arrest the jjrogress of sand dunes from sj)reading 

 over adjacent country. The capsules, or seed receptacles, ai-e white, al)(Mit the size of a 

 peppercorn, and arrive at maturity during the latter end of January, or heginning of 

 Fehruaiy, Avhen the l)ushes are, for the most part, densely covered w ith them. The 

 average height of the plant is ahout four feet; its flowers are inconspicuous, hut Ihey 

 possess a fragrance. 



2. PLAGIANTHUS BETULINUS {A. Citnii.) The Birch-like Plagianthus. 



Specific Chah.\cter- — A lofty tree attaining 10-70 ft.; 

 when young, a straggling bush with variable leaves. Leaves 

 of youDg plants {-\ in. long, ovate-rounded, variously crenate 

 and lobed, in full growth 1-2 in. long, ovate orovate-hmceolate, 

 acuminate, rounded, or cuneate at the base, coarsely crenate- 

 serrate, or obtusely doubly serrate, membranous, covered on 

 both surfaces with small stellate hairs, and retieidate venation ; 

 petiole slender. Panicles terminal, much-branched, very niany- 



tiowered, stellate-tonu'ntose. Flowers snuill, \ in. broad, »hite, 

 on slender ebraeteolate pedicels. Calyx eanipanulate. Petals 

 linear-oblong, luirrower in the nuile llowers. Staininal tube 

 long, slender, exserted in the male, bearing many shortly- 

 pedieelled anthers. Carpel 1. C'apside small, ovoid, accumi- 

 nate, sjilitting down one side, 1-seeded. — Hnndbuuk of Xew 

 ZealaiKl Flora, p. 30. 



Description, etc. — This species, when a tree, often attains a height of iifty feet, 

 Avith a trunk from 1-2^ ft. in diameter; hut it is more often found as a straggling hush. 

 It is ahimdant in forests in most districts throughout the Islands, reaching as far .south 

 as Otago, Avhere it is generally known as the " Rihhon Tree," on account of the tough, 

 fihrous, inner hark which it possesses. This species is very graceful in a^jpearance, more 

 closely resemhling the European Birch than any other tree in the Colony. On this 

 account, it has obtained its name of Betitlhius. The wood is white, compact, fissile, 

 hut not durable. It has been used for shingles, but is not to be recommended. In 



