398 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



Coprosma propinqua (The Kindred Coprosma). 



A thickly-branched shrub, 6 ft. -20 ft. in height. Bark brown ; young shoots 

 downy. Leaves Jin.-^in. long, ^ in. -Jin. broad. Flowers solitary or 2-5 

 together ; fascicles involucrate. Staminate flowers usually fascicled ; calyx ; 

 corolla | in. -^ in. long. Pistillate flowers ^ in. -^ in. long, 3-4-lobed. Styles 

 short. Drupe round, opaque, in. long, usually changing from yellow or white 

 to black. Both islands : damp places. Fl. Sept. -Oct. Maori name 

 Mingimingi. 



Coprosma linariifolia (The Narrow-leaved Coprosma). 



A slender shrub or tree, 4ft.-20ft. in height. Young shoots downy. Leaves 

 not fascicled, 3 in. -1^ in. long, Jin. -Jin. broad, flat, rather membranous, veins 

 faintly seen. Flowers terminal, on small branchlets. Staminate flowers in 

 small fascicles; calyx 0; corolla ^ in. -Jin. long. Pistillate flowers solitary, 

 ^ in. -J in. long. Calyx 4-5-lobed ; lobes long. Drupe broadly-oblong, J in. -| in. 

 long, translucent, finally black. Both islands. Fl. Oct. 



Coprosma foetidissima (The Fcetid Coprosma}. 



A slender, twiggy shrub, 6 ft. -10 ft. in height, or a small tree 20 ft. in height. 

 Branches interlacing, young shoots downy. Bark pale-red or grey. Leaves 

 variable, distant, fin. -2 in. long, in. -fin. broad; midrib obvious. Flowers 

 axillary or terminal, sessile, fuchsia-like, solitary or in pairs. Staminate 

 flowers Jin. -fin. long, funnel-shaped, 4-5 to 8 or 10-lobed, rarely 6-lobed. 

 Stamens as many as the lobes. Pistillate flowers 3-5-lobed. Drupe Jin.-Jiii. 

 long ; yellow or red, rarely white and translucent. Odour of shrub strong and 

 unpleasant. Both islands, Chatham, Stewart, Auckland, and Campbell Islands. 

 Fl. Aug. -Oct. 



Genus Nertera. 



Prostrate soft-leaved herbs. Stipules minute. Flowers terminal or axillary, 

 solitary, sessile. Calyx 4-toothed ; corolla 4-5-lobed ; stamens 4-5 ; anthers 

 exserted. Fruit a fleshy drupe. 4 sp. 



Nertera depressa (The Oblate-berried Nertera). 



A perennial herb, growing in patches. Stem rooting at the nodes. Leaves 

 round or ovate, shining. Flowers terminal. Drupe red, depressed. Both, 

 islands : Stewart and Auckland Islands. Fl. Oct. -Jan. 



Nertera dichondrsefolia (The Dichondra-leaved Nertera). 



Stem creeping, hairy, 3 in. -2 ft. long. Leaves dull-green, membranous, 

 hairy, ovate or cordate. Stipules acute. Flowers and fruit larger than in 

 N. depressa. Both islands. Stewart Island. Fl. Oct. -Dec. (Dichandra is a 

 genus of Convolvulaceae, q.v.) 



