432 Transactions.—Botany. 
Art. LXVI.—On the Occurrence of the Australian Genus Poranthera in New 
Zealand. By T. F. Cuzzseman, F.L.S. 
[Read before the Auckland Institute, 10th June, 1878.) 
A rew months ago, while examining the vegetation of the upper part of 
the Maitai Valley, near Nelson, I observed in one or two localities a small 
Euphorbiaceous plant, which, on examination, proved to belong to the 
Australian genus Poranthera. On referring to Bentham’s “ Flora Austra- 
liensis,” it became evident that P. microphylla, Brong., the most widely- 
diffused species of the genus, approached in most of its characters to my 
plant; but asit, with all the other species, was described by Mr. Bentham 
as having the leaves alternate, while my specimens all had opposite leaves, 
I concluded tbat I had before me a new species of the genus. My friend 
Baron Müeller, however, who has done me the favour of examining a series 
of specimens, informs me that although all writers describe the leaves of 
Poranthera as alternate, P. microphylla “has not rarely some, and very 
seldom all the leaves opposite," and that he can find no characters to dis- 
tinguish the New Zealand plant from the Australian. In this opinion, after 
examining a number of Australian specimens kindly forwarded by Baron 
Müeller, I now concur. As some little interest is naturally attached to the 
addition of a new genns to the New Zealand flora, I subjoin the following 
short diagnosis :— 
Poranthera microphylla, Brong. in Duperry Voy. Coq. Bot. 218, t. 50 B; 
Bentham, Flora Australiensis, VI., 56. 
Perfectly glabrous; stems slender, branched, prostrate at the base, 
ascending towards the tips, 6-9 inches long; leaves opposite, or rarely the 
upper ones alternate, linear-obovate, obtuse, gradually narrowed into the 
rather long petiole, } to 1 inch long, margins usually slightly recurved. 
Inflorescence composed of terminal, short and dense bracteate racemes; 
bracts linear-subulate, lower ones longer than the flowers; flowers minute, 
white, monecious. Male flowers: calyx divided into 5 segments; petals 5, 
minute, linear-subulate, each with a large green gland at its base ; stamens 
5; rudimentary ovary composed of three clavate bodies. Female flowers 
rather larger and on longer pedicels; calyx and petals the same as in 
the males; stamens 0; ovary depressed, 6-lobed, 8-celled, each cell with 
two ovules; capsule separating into three 2-valved cocci, the whole falling 
away from the persistent axis; seeds granulate. 
Hab: Among clumps of Pimelea gnidia in the Fagus forest, Upper Maitai 
Valley, Nelson—J. Adams and T. F. Cheeseman. In Australia the species 
ranges from Port Darwin to the south of Tasmania, 
Had my specimens been gathered near to cultivation, or had they been 
found associated with naturalised plants, the species might have been looked 
