OLEA CUNNINGHAMII, Hook. f. 
THE MAIRE-RAU-NUI. 
OrDER—JASMINEZAE. 
(Plates LIX., LIXa., and LIXzB.) 
THE maire-rau-nui is one of several trees to which the name ‘“ maire”’ is com- 
monly applied by settlers and the younger Maoris; the older Maoris, however, 
distinguish it as the maire-rau-nui. It is often called ‘ black-maire”’ by the 
bushmen. 
It is much the largest and most valuable of the New Zealand olives, and 
for combined strength and durability is, perhaps, the most valuable timber in 
the colony. It agrees with the species of Olea already described in producing 
the male and female flowers on different trees, and is the only species that 
appears to have been observed by Banks and Solander, although it seems to 
have escaped the attention of later botanists, until wrongly identified by Allan 
Cunningham with Olea apetala, Vahl, which at that time was only known as a 
native of Norfolk Island. 
Olea Cunningham forms a large evergreen tree frequently 7oft. high, with a 
trunk from 3ft. to 6ft. in diameter: the trunk may be straight with but few 
branches, or several branches of large dimensions may be developed. 
There is a remarkable difference in the form and dimensions of the leaves of 
young and mature trees. Inall states the leaves are opposite and rough on both 
surfaces, but in the young state they are narrow-linear, from 6in. to Ioin. in 
length, and from $in. to Zin. broad, acute, passing by gentle gradations into the 
mature form, which is broadly lanceolate, from 3in. to 6in. in length, and rather 
less than 2in. in breadth. In Olea apetala the difference in form is reversed, the 
young state exhibiting leaves which are much broader than those of mature 
trees. 
The male and female flowers are developed on different trees, and are desti- 
tute of petals: they are produced in racemes which spring from the axils of the 
leaves or of leaf-scars; the racemes being stout, from #in. to fin. long, and 
bearing from ten to seventeen flowers arranged in pairs, except the terminal 
Hower, which is solitary, The flowers are carried on short pedicels, which are 
articulated to the axis of the raceme, and the axis itself is articulated at the 
point where each pair of flowers is given off: the joints of the raceme as well as 
the flowers are clothed with hairs—a character which is not found in any other 
New Zealand species. 
At the base of each flower a minute concave bract is developed, which 
speedily falls away. The perianth consists of four unequal lobes, and is clothed 
with hairs, the male being rather smaller than the female, and containing two 
stamens with an abortive ovary. In the female two stamens are developed, but 
never produce pollen; the ovary is oblong, with two cells, each containing two 
ovules; stigmas, two. Usually three of the ovules become absorbed during the 
ripening of the fruit, and one of the cells is nearly obliterated, so that the fruit 
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