314 Specimen of the Botany of New Zealand. 



modified leaf, secretes nectar ; as the anther, also a united leaf, 

 forms the pollen ; as the carpel, also a united leaf, produces 

 ovules : and thus it is that a well-understood law, the unity 

 of organic composition, explains phenomena about which there 

 was only disagreement, uncertainty and error. 



XXXVII. — Florae Insularum Novce Zelandice Precursor; or 

 a Specimen of the Botany of the Islands of New Zealand, 

 By Allan Cunningham, Esq. 



[Continued from p. 250.] 



CORIARIEiE, DC. 



1. CoRiARiA, Niss., Lin?i. 



581. C. sarmentosa. Forst.Prodr.n.377. D.C.Frodr.u p. 739. A.Rich. 

 Fl. Nov. Zel. p. 364. Bot. Mag. 2470. 



Tupakihi ab incolis dicitur. Wine herry shrub of the Missionaries. 



New Zealand (Northern Island).— 1769, Sir Jos. Banks. Abundant on 

 the hills around the Bay of Islands, Wangaroa, &c. — 1826, J. Cunningham. 

 (Middle Island.)— 1773, G.Forster. 



Friitex dumosus, diffusus, procumbens, ramis elongatis, glabris. Folia 

 cordato-ovata, acuminata, integerrima, glabra, 5-nervia, breviter petiolata. 

 Racemus axillaris, elongatus, pendulus, folio multo longior. Flores maseuli : 

 numerosi, breviter pedicellati, pedicellis basi bracteatis. Calyx 5-fidus, laciniis 

 obtusis. Petala nulla, glandulse 5 segmentis calycis alternse. Filamenta 

 5/amiwMW filiformia. -^y«^^er<» purpui'se 2-loculares. Flores fccminei : Calyx 

 et glandula uti in mascuiis, etlam absque petalis. Stamina 1 effoeta. Ova- 

 ria 5. Stigmata 5 paten tia. Carpella 5, cohaerentia (ad maturitatem sub- 

 discreta approximata) monosperma, glandulis grandifactis cincta. 



The expressed juice of the fruit of this shrub, which is a berry, is 

 very palateable, and is drunk by the natives or used with their fern 

 root, which, when baked, is soaked in it. The Missionaries also 

 make a wine (Tuta) from the fruit, which, in flavour, bears great 

 resemblance to that usually prepared in England from the berries of 

 the elder. As the natives are well aware that a highly poisonous 

 property resides in the seeds, they are careful to strain the juice of 

 them ; for if they are eaten in any quantity, violent convulsions and 

 delirium have been brought on, and sometimes even death has been 

 known to ensue. M. DeCandoUe tells us, that by eating the fruit 

 of another species (C. myrtifolid), several soldiers of the French army 

 in Catalonia were affected, of whom fifteen were stupified and three 

 died. 



