Meryta.] XXXV. AEALIACEAE. 219 



6. P. arboreum, G. Forst., Prod. n. 398. A much-branched dioecious 



shrub or small tree, 12ft. -30ft. high. Branches stout. Leaves digitate^ on long 



petioles, 4in.— 9in. long, with a 3-lobed sheath, 5— 7-foliolate ; leaflets 4in.— 7in. 



long, coriaceous, shining, oblong or obovate-oblong, obtuse or acute, serrate or 



sinuate ; petioles iin.— lin. long ; veins distinct. Umbels very large, terminal, 



compound. Peduncle short, stout. Primary rays 8-12, about 4iu. long • 



secondary rays 6—10, Jin.— lin. long, each bearing a 10- or 12-flowered umbel. 



Pedicels very short. Male : calyx-teeth obsolete ; petals 5 ; stamens 5. Female : 



calyx- teeth minute ; ovary 3-celled ; styles 3; tips free, recurved. Fruits urceo- 



late, compressed, 3-celled and -seeded. — DC, Prod. iv. 353 ; A. Rich., Fl. N.Z. 



381 ; A. Cunn., Precurs. n. 510; Hook., Lond. Jonrn. Bot. ii. (1843) 431, t. 11 ; 



Hook, f ., Fl. N.Z. i. 94 ; Handbk. 103. 



Var. laetum. Leaflets larger, 7in.-10in. long, 3in.-4m. broad, broadly ovate-lanoeolate or 

 obovate, shortly abruptly acuminate, dentate or coarsely serrate. 



KBRMADEG Islands and North Oape southwards to Danedin. Common by riversides, &o., in 

 lowland districts ; ascending to l,500£t. WhoMwhau-paku. Deo., Jan. 



7. P. discolorum, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z.I, iii. (1871) 178. A much- 

 branched dioecious shrub, 6ft.— 30ft. high. Leaves shining, 1— 3-foliolate, on 

 slender petioles iin.— 3in. long ; leaflets 3in.— 3in. long, lanceolate or ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, narrowed at the base, acute or acuminate, upper part of the blade with 

 large sharp teeth. Umbels terminal ; male of 5—10 very slender rays of race- 

 mose flowers on a slender peduncle ; pedicels equalling the unexpanded buds ; 

 calyx-teeth : female of 5—10 subequal 1— 3-flowered strict rays ; calyx-limb 

 minutely 5-toothed ; ovary 3-5-celled. Fruit urceolate ; seeds 3—5. Styles 3—5, 

 connate at the base ; tips very short, scarcely recurved. 



NORTH Island : Auckland, local. Whangaroa North ; Great Omaha ; Thames Goldfield ; 

 Great and Little Barrier Islands. Sea-level to 2,800ft. Nov. 



Easily recognised by the racemose male flowers and the peculiar bronzed hue of the foliage. 



8. P. Sinclairii, Hook. /., Handbk. 103. A shrub or small tree, 20ft. 

 high or more. Leaves on slender petioles iin.— l^in. long, 3— 5-foliolate ; leaf- 

 lets sessile or petiolulate, lin.— 3in. long, coriaceous, dull, obovate or oblong- 

 lanceolate, acute, the upper part of the blade sharply serrate ; veins obscure. 

 Umbels small, axillary or terminal, iin.— liin. long ; rays 3—4. Pedicels short. 

 Female flowers : calyx-teeth minute, acute ; ovary 2-celled. Fruit orbicular, 

 ovate, compressed, 2-celled, 2-seeded. Styles 2, short, recurved. 



NORTH Island : Auckland District, very local. Karioi llountain (Raglan) and Pirongia, 

 Cheeseman. East Cape, Sinclair. Ruahine Range, Golenso. Opepe, Taupo, T. K. Mount Egmont, 

 Buchanan. 1,000ft. to 4,000ft. 



This species is closely related to P. simplex, but the fruits are narrower and the leaves are 

 never 1-foliolate. 



4. MERYTA, Forst. 



Dioecious. Male flowers : calyx-teeth 3—5, minute, acute ; petals 4—5, 

 valvate ; stamens 4—5, filaments longer than the petals. Female flowers : 

 calyx-limb obsolete ; petals 4—5, very small, valvate ; ovarv 5— oo-celled ; styles 

 26* 



