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2 DRIMYS AXILLARIS. 
that of the type: the former is essentially a northern plant, the latter 
essentially southern. The type does not occur south of Banks Peninsula, 
unless, possibly, on the West Coast. The variety does not occur north of 
Ohinemutu; it is found in great profusion on Stewart Island. Both forms 
ascend from sea-level to 2,500ft. On the hills around Wellington they overlap 
at about 1,500ft.; the type descends to the sea-level throughout its area, 
the variety in the South Island only. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Drimys axillaris, lorster. 
D. axillaris, Forst., Hook., Icones Plantarum, t. DLxxv1. 
Wintera axillaris, Forst., Prodromus. 
A shrub or small tree with black bark; leaves alternate, shortly stalked, 
elliptic-ovate or lanceolate, obtuse, entire, coriaceous, tin.—4in. long, #in.~2in. 
wide, usually glaucous beneath. Flowers perfect, or unisexual, solitary or in 
fascicles in the axils of the leaves or of leaf-scars; pedicels from #in. to in. 
long; calyx, two- to four-lobed ; petals, five or six, linear; stamens, about ten, in 
three series with short flattened filaments; carpels, four or five. Fruit of three 
or four carpels, each containing several seeds. 
Variety colorata. 
D. colorvata, Raoul, Choix de Plantes de la Nouvelle-Zélande, t. xxtit. 
Leaves usually smaller, more coriaceous, blotched with red. Flowers smaller; 
calyx saucer-shaped, often quite entire, with rarely more than two carpels ripen- 
ing into fruit. 
Mr. Colenso and Mr. Buchanan are of opinion that this plant should be 
considered a distinct species, but the characters stated above pass into those of 
the typical form by almost imperceptible gradations. 
The typical form varies considerably in the texture of its leaves, which are 
often membranous and green on both surfaces. In the variety the leaves are 
invariably glaucous beneath, and many of the flowers are abortive. 
EXPLANATION OF Priates I. anp II. 
I. Drimys axillaris, YVorst., natural size. 2. Bud. 3. Perfect flower. 
4. Carpels after the stamens have fallen. All more or less enlarged. 
Il. Drimys axillaris, Forst., var. colorata, natural size. 2. Bud. 3. Perfect 
flower. 4. Carpels. All enlarged. 
