126 XXIV. EOSACEAE. [Rubus. 



Petals broadly ovate, white. Fruits small, red, austere. — DC, Prod. ii. 556 ; 

 A. Rich., Fl. N.Z. 340 ; A. Cumi., Precurs. n. 567. R. australis, var. glabe)~, 

 Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 53, t. 14; Haiidbk. 54. 



Prom the Three Kings Islands to Stewart Island. Ascending to nearly 3,000ft. Tataramoa. 

 Taraheke. Bush-lawyer. Sept., Oct. 



Varying greatly in the length of the petioles and shape of the leaflets. 



2. R. cissoides, A. Cunn., Precurs. n. 569. Much smaller than R. 

 australis, usually forming dense bushes. Stem unarmed. Petioles and midribs 

 with fewer prickles or the latter quite unarmed ; petioles varying greatly in 

 length. Leaves usually 3- rarely 4— 5-foliolate ; leaflets smooth, ovate-acumi- 

 nate or linear-lanceolate-acuminate, always rounded at the base, sharply un- 

 equally serrate or irregularly lobed. Panicles axillary, slender, 2in.-4in. long, 

 often reduced to racemes, glabrous, quite unarmed. Bracteoles longer, acute, 

 pubescent. Sepals broadly ovate, hoary. Petals linear, acute, yellowish. 

 Fruits as in R. australis, but more crowded. — R. australis. Banks and Sol. 

 MSS. R. australis, var. cissoides. Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 53 ; Handbk. 54. 



North Cape to Stewart Island, chiefly in lowland districts. Sept., Oct. 



Var. pauperatus. Leaves wholly reduced to prickly midribs, or sometimes with a reduced 

 leaflet at the apes. 



Var. coloratus. Young shoots hispid, setose or pubescent. Leaflets rugose, white beneath 

 with appressed tomentum. 



These varieties are permanent, but less frequent than the type ; they are most plentiful in 

 the South Island. 



3. R. Schmidelioides, A. Cunn., Precurs. n. 568. Usually a rather 

 dense bush or dwarf climber. Young shoots pubescent or setose. Stems and 

 midribs unarmed. Petioles vrith a few hooked prickles. Leaves 3- rarely 5-fo- 

 liolate, the terminal petiole much longer than the others ; leaflets rounded below 

 or cordate, oval or orbicular-ovate or rarely elliptical-oblong, acute or obtuse, 

 coarsely or i-arely acutely toothed, very coriaceous. Panicles axillary, 2in.— 6in. 

 long ; branchlets short, stout, hispid, setose or pubescent, the upper portion 

 prickly. Sepals broad, silky or downy. Petals broad, rounded. Fruit larger, 

 juicv, amber-coloured, edible. — R. australis, var. Schmidelioides, Hook, f., Fl. 

 N.Z. i. 58 ; Handbk. 54. 



North Gape to Stewart Island, in lowland districts. Sept. to Dec. 



Separated from the preceding by the oval or almost orbicular coriaceous leaves and amber- 

 coloured edible fruit. 



4. R. parvus, Buck, in Trans. N.Z.I, vi. (1873) 243, t. 22, f. 2 and 3. 



A small prostrate shrub. Stems slender, 12iu.-18in. long, with few prickles; 

 sometimes rooting at the nodes or subterranean ; bark red. Leaves 1-foliolate, 

 lin.-3in. long, bronze - coloured, coriaceous, linear- oblong-lanceolate, acute, 

 slightly cordate at the base; margins acutely dentate. Petiole very short and, 

 like the midrib, with a few prickles or unarmed. Stipules linear, entire or 



