﻿262 Transactions. — Botainj. 



density it might prove of value to the inlayer and wood-tuvner. The only 

 economic purposes to which any part of the plant has been adapted, so far as 

 I am aware, is the use of the gummy matter, in which the seeds are imbedded, 

 to mix with the juice of the sow-thistle as a masticatory by the natives, who 

 are also said to have mixed the bruised leaves of P. eugenioides with fat, for 

 the sake of the perfume. 



P. tenuifolium, is the " turj^entine^tree " of the Otago settlers, who plant it 

 for hedges, as it bears clipping freely. 



P. Buchanani and P. eugenioides appear to be constantly dioecious. Other 

 species exhibit a strong tendency in this direction, as well as towards a whorled 

 arrangement of branches and leaves ; this is constant in P. comifolium, 

 frequent in P. rejlexum and P. Kirkii, and less developed in P. umbellatum, 

 P. eugenioides, and P. virgatum. 



A few species exhibit considerable variation in foliage. P. rigidum and 

 P. patulum, in certain states, can with difficulty be distinguished from such 

 widely diflferent plants as Melicytus viicranthus, Melicope simplex, Panccx 

 anomalum, and Elceocarpus Hookerianus. 



The following arrangement is proposed for the New Zealand species : — 

 A. Flowers axillary (rarely terminal in P. fasciculatum and P. rigidurti). 



1. P. tenuifoliwm 8. P. Kirkii 



sub-species Colensoi 9. umbellatum 



„ fasciculatum 10. virgatum 



2. Buchamani 11. patulum 



3. Huttonia/mim, 12. Ralphii 



4. rigidum 13. crassifolium 



5. ohcordatum 14. intermedium 



6. pimeleoides 15. elli2}ticum 



sub-species rejlexum sub-species ovatum 



7. comifolium 16. eugenioides 



1. P. tenuifolium, Banks and Sol. — Sub-species Colensoi. — Sub-species fascicu- 

 latum. 



Throughout the islands, not confined to the east coast ; the sub-species 

 rare and local. 



Flowers in October. 



These forms vary considerably in all their parts, so that it 

 would not be difficult to obtain a connected series of specimens, 

 which should include the whole. I fully agree with Dr. Hooker 

 in considering them much too closely allied to admit of their 

 taking specific rank, although, perhaps, the diSerences are too highly 

 developed to allow of their being treated as mere varieties. P. Colensoi 

 is said by Buchanan to be frequent in the north. I never met with it north 



