228 XXXVIII. RUBIACEAE. [Coprosma. 



red ; lobes of corolla more or less toothed aad fimbriate. — Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 



103, t. 25 ; Handbk. 110. A. ligustrifolia, A. Cunn., I.e. 488. A. Hookeria, 



Col., Excurs. North Isd. 84.. 



NORTH Island : from Whangaroa North to Mauukau Harbour. Local. Oct. 



The crowded linear leaves give this pretty species a different aspect from any other. The 

 corolla- tube is broader than those of A. quercifolia or A. Banksii. 



Oedek XXXVIII.— etjbiaceae. 



Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary, 4- or 5-toothed or -lobed or 0. Corolla 

 rotate, tubular, funnel-shaped or campanulate, inserted round an epigynous 

 diskj lobes usually 4 or 5, rarely 3, valvate or imbricate in bud. Stamens 

 alternating with the corolla-lobes and inserted on its tube. Ovary inferior, 

 2— 4-celled ; ovules I or more in each cell ; styles 1 or 2 ; stigma 2— 3-lobed 

 or capitate, lobes often linear. Fruit an indehiscent berry or nut, or a capsule 

 usually with 2 or more cells or nuts; cells 1-seeded. Seeds with a very thin 

 testa. Embryo straight, rather small, with flat cotyledons ; endosperm fleshy 

 or horny. Trees, shrubs, or herbs, rarely scandent, with simple entire opposite 

 leaves and interpetiolar or whorled stipules. Flowers hermaphrodite or uni- 

 sexual, axillary or terminal, cymose, often solitary. 



A very large order, widely distributed through all regions. Cinchona and Coffea are amongst 

 its most important products. Of the New Zealand genera, Coprosma and Nertera are restricted to 

 the extra-tropical or mountain regions of the Southern Hemisphere, extending to the verge of the 

 antarctic circle. Galium and Asperula have a wide range in both hemispheres. Geneea, 340. 

 Species, 4,300. 



Tribe I. COPPEEAE. — Leaves opposite or rarely whorled. Ovules usually solitary in the cells. 

 Cells of the fruit always 1-seeded. Fruit a berry-like drupe, 2-seeded. 



1. CoPEOSMA. Trees or shrubs, sometimes suiiruticose, creeping. Flowers unisexual. 



2. Neeteea. Slender creeping herbs. Flowers hermaphrodite. 



II. STELLATEAE. — Leaves vertioillate. Ovary 2-celled, with 1 ovule in each cell. Fruit of 

 2 dry indehiscent 1-seeded carpels. 



3. AsPEEnLA. Calyx-teeth 0. Corolla funnel-shaped, 4-lobed. 



4. Galium. Calyx-teeth 0. Corolla rotate, 4-lobed. 



* Sheeaedia. Calyx-teeth 4-6. Flowers in small involuorate heads. 



1. COPROSMA, Porst. 

 Flowers often inconspicuous, dioecious. Calyx-limb 4— 5-toothed or -lobed, 

 often in the male ; tube ovoid in the female. Corolla-tube funnel-shaped or 

 campanulate, 4— 5-lobed : lobes valvate in the bud. Stamens usually 4—5, in- 

 serted at the base of the corolla-tube ; filaments capillary. Anthers exserted, 

 apiculate. Ovary 2-celled, rarely 3 -4-celled, with 1 erect ovule in each cell. 

 Styles divided to the base into 2, 3, or 1. linear stigmatic papillose lobes. 

 Drupe rounded or ovoid, with 2 plano-convex 1-seeded pyrenes. Trees and 

 shrubs, rarely creeping. Leaves usually small, with interpetiolar stipules, often 

 intolerably foetid when bruised. Flowers in trichotomous or simple axillary 

 cymes or fascicles, or solitary. 



A genus comprising about 50 species, most abundant in New Zealand, but extending to 

 temperate Australia, the Pacific Islands, and Che highest mountains of Borneo. Some of the New 



