356 Specimen of the Botany of New Zealand. 



XLII. — Flora Insularum Nova; Zelandice Precursor; or a 

 Specimen of the Botany of the Islands of New Zealand. 

 By Allan Cunningham, Esq. 



[Continued from p. 214.] 

 SAXIFRAGACEiE, DC. {EscaUojiiece, sp. R. Br.) 

 1. QuiNTiNiA, Alpli. De Cand. 

 Calycis tubus ovario adhaerens, nervis 10 subnotatus : llmbus 5-dentatu?, 

 persistens. Petala S-obovdta. Stamina 5, patentia, petalis alterna. 

 Stylus columnari-filiformis. Stigma peltato-capitatum, 4 — 5-lobum. 

 Capsula stylo calycinisque dentibus coronata, 5-locularis, dissepinientis 

 subincompletis, loculis polyspermis. Semina parva, ovato-compressa. — 

 Arbores 20-30 pedales. Folia alterna, petiolata, coriacea, Integra seu 

 serrata. Flores spicati, vel panicuJati, alhi. 

 /, ■ I / 515. Q. serrata ; foliis ovato-lanceolatis lanceolatisve acumlnatis undula- 

 ^™*^'^ '' _' tis serratis supra farinoso-squamatis, subtus punctatis fuscatis, spiels 

 ^ ' *■ axiliaribus ramosis multifloris folio brevioribus. A. C. Ms. 



New Zealand (Nortbern Island). Forests at tbe sources of the Kana- 

 Kana river and elsewhere, on the shores of the Bay of Islands, flowering in 

 November. — 1826, A. Cunningham. 



Ohs.* Arbor sempervirens, elegans, ramosa, 20-30 pedalis. Rami alterni, 

 teretes, glabri. Folia alterna, breve petiolata, coriacea, 3 — 4 pollices longa. 



* The type of this genus, a native of New South Wales, nr.ay be thus cha- 

 racterized : — 



Q. Sieberi (melius integrifolia), foliis ovato-acuminatis coriaceis venosis 

 integerrimis glabris subtus discoloribus, paniculis terminalibus ramosis, ramis 

 patentibus. Alph. De Cand. in'Monogr. Campan. (1830), p. 92. DC. Prodr. 

 iv. p. 5. — Ericineis Campanulaceisve affinis. Sieb. PL Sic. Nov. HolL, p. 

 261. 



Hob. In Nova Cambria Australi, in sylvis densis humidis prope littora. 

 — 1834, R. Brown. — 1818, A. Cunningham. 



A remarkable tree, assuming occasionally (like some Fici) of equinoctial 

 countries) a parasitical growth, as will appear from the following memoran- 

 dum, made some years ago in one of its native forests. It may be premised, 

 that in the centre of the Blue Mountain chain, directly west from Port 

 Jackson, is a remarkable eminence, called Tomah, the height of which, 

 above the level of the ocean, has been ascertained to exceed 3500 feet. Be- 

 fore the axe of the colonist was carried to the base of that mountain, in the 

 great chain, viz. prior to 1823, Tomah had its flanks and summits clothed 

 with a dense vegetation, consisting of timber trees, loving shade and moisture, 

 laden with orohideous Epiphytes, and borne down heavily by gigantic climb- 

 ers ; and beneath them, in deep shade, flourished many a noble specimen of 

 an ai-borescent fern (the Cibotium Billardieri of Kaulfuss), wliich was not 

 previously known to exist in New South Wales. On the side of tlie mountain 

 was then to be observed a remarkable instance of the disposition of the 

 Quintinia to attach itself to other plants by means of cauline roots, that may 

 be worthy notice. 



A large Quintinia (Sieberi, A. DC.) grew near to an aged Cibotium. 

 full 35 feet high, and having a distinct trunk in the soil. At about 6 feet 



