162 XXIX. MYRTACEAE. [Metrosideros . 



3-lobed, turgid, crowned witli the short fuiniel-shaped calyx-limb, 3-valved to 

 the base.— Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 67, t. 16; Handbk. 71. M. subsimilis, Col. in 

 Trans. N.Z.I, xii. (1880) 361. M. myrtifolia, Banks and Sol. MSS. 



From the North Cape to STEWART Island. Common in damp forests. Nov. to Jan. 



The Banksian specimens have narrower and more acuminate leaves than any others seen 

 by me, while the calyx-limb is larger and the segments more acute. In northern specimens 

 the leaves are sometimes broadly ovate and slightly cordate. The flowers are produced on the 

 old wood. 



7. M. Colensoi, Hook.f., Fl. N.Z. i. 68. A very slender climbing shrub. 

 Branchlets and young leaves tomentose or pubescent, glabrous when mature. 

 Leaves distichous, often imbricating, sessile or subsessile, Jin.— |in. long, ovate 

 or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, scarcely coriaceous. Flowers small, in terminal 

 or rarely lateral trichotomous cymes, rarely exceeding lin. in length. Peduncles 

 and pedicels pubescent or silky. Calyx narrow, funnel-shaped, 2—3 times 

 longer than the ovary, silky ; lobes subulate, acute, as long as the minute 

 orbicular sepals. Ovary adnate with the base of the calyx-tube. Capsule 

 globose, pubescent, crowned with the funnel-shaped calyx-limb, 3-lobed, de- 

 hiscing loculicidally to the base. — Handbk. 72. 



NORTH Island : from the Bay of Islands to Cook Strait, but often local. SOUTH Island : 

 Marlborough and Nelson, probably extending to Westland. Banks Peninsula, J. B. Armstrong. 

 This habitat requires confirmatiou. 



Var. pendens. Often clothing straight trunks to the height of 50ft. or 60ft. with slender 

 almost filiform pendulous branches. Leaves broadly ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate. Flowers 

 white or with a faint pink tinge. — M. pendens, Col. in Trans. N.Z.I, xii. (1879) 360. — Whangape, 

 Waikato, T. K., and head of the Manawatu River. Jan., Feb. Mr. Colenso's specimens of this 

 variety are the finest I have seen. 



8. M. robusta, A. Cum., Precurs. n. 557. A much-branched shrub, or 

 gigantic tree, 50ft.-100ft. high; trunk 2ft. to 10ft. in diameter. Branchlets 

 short, angular, puberulous. Leaves decussate, liin. long, elliptic-lanceolate or 

 oblong, obtuse, coriaceous ; petioles short, glabrate or pubescent. Cymes 

 broad, terminal, many-flowered. Peduncles and pedicels short, stout, pubescent. 

 Calyx-tube obconic, short ; lobes 5, deltoid, very short. Petals orbicular, ex- 

 ceeding the sepals. Ovary adnate with the lower part of the caly.v-tube, shorter 

 than the tube until the flower has withered. Capsule small, |in.— i-in. long, 

 half-superior, 3-lobed, the free portion equalling the calyx-tube, loculicidally 

 3-valved to the base. Seeds erect. — Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 68, t..l7; Handbk. 

 72 ; T. Kirk, Forest Fl. N.Z. t. 128. M. flonda, Hook., Bot. Mag. t. 1471 

 (not of Smith). 



NORTH Island : from the Three Kings Islands and the North Cape to Cook Strait. SOUTH 

 Island : Marlborough, Nelson, and Westland. Sea-level to nearly 3,000ft. Rata. Dec, Jan. 



Var. Intermedia. Twigs much stouter. Leaves excessively coriaceous, ovate-lanceolate 

 Cymes small. Pedicels and peduncles short and stout.- Rangitoto Island, T. E. 



Var. retusa. Leaves less than lin. long, coriaceous, broadly elliptical, ovate, rounded at both 

 ends, refuse. Cymes very broad. Petals narrow. Lowry Bay, Port Nicholson, T. K. 



The rata is commonly epiphytic in its early stage, and gives ofi aerial roots, which ultimately 

 form immense trunks from 2ft.-20ft. or more in diameter, and at length destroy the supporting tree 

 A full description of this peculiarity is given in the " Forest Flora of New Zealand." 



