86 Transactions, 



9 



Many otlier plants of interest were collected at "Wbangaroa. A fine new 

 Melicyhts attains tlie height of 15 feet, with glossy, laurel-like leaves 4 to 6 

 inches long, apparently identical Avith a form observed in the Hunua and 

 other districts, where it forms a remarkable object when in flower, the 

 flowers being densely crowded on the branches in fascicles of from 5 to 12 

 for the length of a foot or more, perianths large, campanulate, fleshy ; 

 berries large, changing from white, through j)nrple and violet, to black, as 

 they approach maturity. A curious and interesting Panax, allied to 

 P. lessonii, unites the simple and compound-leaved sections of the genus. 

 As a shrub or small tree it attains the height of 10 to 15 feet, with whitish 

 bark, leaves of two kinds, intermixed ; 1-foliolate on petioles, |- to 2 inches 

 long ; lamina, l^ to 2 inches ; ovate-acuminate ; 3-foliolate on petioles 

 3 inches long, leaflets sessile, 1| to 2i inches long, ovate-acuminate or ovate- 

 lanceolate, both forms distantly serrate, coriaceous, petioles exstipulate. 

 Flowers not seen, umbels terminal, of 3 to 5 slender rays, fruit globose, 

 raeemed, styles 5. Another undescribed Pitfosporiim (P. ellipticum, Kirk, 

 var. ovatum) was obtained here. An erect tree, 20 to 30 feet high, with 

 spreading, obovate, obtuse, coriaceous leaves, 1^ to 2 inches long, pubescent 

 beneath. Elowers not seen, peduncles solitary or in 2- to 4-flowered 

 terminal umbels, stout, |- to x inch long, pubescent, capsules globose, 

 clothed with ferruginous down, 2-valved. An undescribed Pittospormn, 

 (P. virgatum, Kirk), with the globose capsules and short peduncles of P. 

 eolensoi, but terminal, and frequently in 2- to 4-flowered umbels, instead of 

 solitary and axillary, and differing in all other respects, is found on high 

 ranges, and is precisely identical with a slender tree found on the G-reat 

 Barrier. Panax anomalum, Lihocedrus doniana were also collected. Many 

 noble specimens of Dracoplryllum latifoliwm, 30 feet high or more, were 

 observed; and one of D. sqxiarrosum, 25 feet, contrasting strongly in 

 recollection with the diminutive specimens, some 3 to 4 feet high, which are 

 not unfrequent in the vicinity of Auckland. The normal form of Saloragis 

 tetragyna, Labill., was found sparingly, although long past flowering. In 

 exposed rocky habitats it formed a small, compact, erect bush, 2 feet high ; 

 but amongst fern it assumed the prostrate habit of the var. diffusa, still, 

 however, preserving the long and sharply -toothed leaves without modification. 

 Colensoa pliysaloides, which was first discovered here, is not unfrequent, 

 and attains a large size, its leaves being sometimes met with a foot long or 

 more. 



Many naturalized plants abound at Mongonui, the most conspicuous 

 being AspTiodelus fistuJosus, Solanvm virginianum (?), Scahiosa atropurpurea, 

 and above all. Verbena officinalis, which covers large patches of ground with 

 a dense vegetation 4 to 5 feet high. Two solitary specimens of PrasopJiyllum 



