GENUS II. 



DISCARIA {Hook.) The Discai-ia. 



Generic Chakactee. — Very much branched, glabrous, 

 usually rigid, tortuous, spiny shrubs or small trees, often leaf- 

 less. Branches dec^lssatelJ opposite, terete, green, transversely 

 grooved or articulate at the nodes. Flowers axillary, pedicelled, 

 nodding, small, green. Calyx membranous, inferior or adnate 

 at the base, with the ovary with obconic or camjianulate limb, 

 and 4 or 5 recurved lobes. Petals none, or 4 or 5. Stamens, 



4 or 5. Disk adnate to the base of the calyx, annular, entire 

 or lobed. Ovary, free or simk in the base of a calyx, sub- 

 globose, 3-lobed ; style, slender; stigma, 3-lobed; Drupe dry, 

 coriaceous, of 3 cocci ; capsular, when ripe, the cocci separating 

 and splitting down their faces. — Haudbouk of the New Zealand 

 Flora, J). 41.. 



Description, etc. — A considerable gemis in South America, nearly allied to Colletia, 

 but differing in liaving no petals. One species, Dlscarla Australis, is common to 

 Tasmania and Australia, and another to New Zealand. All of the twelve known species 

 are spiny undershrubs of no beauty, some almost leafless, and others with minute, ol)long 

 or spathulate, smooth leaves. The small opposite secondary branches terminate in a 

 sharp spine, and towards their liase are found, in twos or threes, the little flowers, Avliich 

 have a short, bell-shaped calyx tube, and from four to five small, scale-like, hooded petals. 

 The New Zealand species is known as Discaria foniitafo/i. 



1. DI.SCAItIA TOUMATOU {Baoul.) The Native Thorn. 



Specific Characteh.— A thorny busli in dry pUiees ; 

 becoming a small tree in damper localities, with spreoding 

 branches and branchlets, reduced to spines 1-2 in. long. 

 Leaves small, i - ^ in. lung, fascicled in the axils of the spines, 

 absent in old plants, linear, or obovate-oblong, obtuse or 

 retuse, smooth oi* pubescent, quite entire or serrate. Flower, 



\ in. diam., apelalous, white; pedicels and calyx minutely 

 downy. Calyx tube short, obscure; lobes, 4 or 5, broadly 

 ovate. Disk broad, with a narrow up-turned edge. Capside, 

 size of a pe|'}ter-corn.- Haiidhook of the New Zealand Flora, 

 p. 44. 



Description, etc.. Pig. 3, Plate No. 21.— The "TOUMATOU."— This species grows 

 as a thorny bush in dry places on the East Coast and interior of the southern part of the 

 Northern Island, and throughout the Middle Island. In the mountainous districts of 

 the Middle Island it assumes the form of a small tree, sometimes attaining a height of 

 fifteen feet, with a trunk from four to six inches in diameter. The wood is very tough, 

 and is much valued by the settlers for axe, tool, and stock-whip handles. In the low 

 lands, Avhere the bush form exists, the jilant in cei'tain localities covers acres of ground, 

 and, by its dense and tangled growth, becomes perfectly defiant to intrusion by man or 

 beast, its large and formidable spines presenting an obstacle which both biped and 

 quadruped evince a decided repugnance to. Tlie plant is very generally known through- 

 out the Colony as "The Wild Irishman." In the ^liddle Island, more particularly 

 towards Otago, it is called the " Native Thorn." If properly trained, tliis plant 

 would form a handsome and impenetrable hedge that would be stronger than 

 AVhito Thorn {Crata-gus oxyacaitth(i). The sliarp .spines, it is asserted, W(>re formerly 



