MELICOPE SIMPLEX, A. Cunningham. 
Orper—RUTACEE. 
(Plate LXVIII.) 
Metrcore simpLex differs widely in general appearance from the preceding 
species, although some forms of the variety Mantelli approach it very closely. 
It forms a small tree, rarely exceeding 1&8ft. or 2goft. im height, but is most 
frequently a shrub branched from the base, or even a mere bush. The branches 
may be short and rigid, or long, distant, and flexuous. he leaves are alternate 
or rarely opposite, and are frequently crowded on short abortive branchlets : 
they are about gin. long, and nearly as broad, carried on short leaf-stalks, which 
have flattened wing-like margins and are suddenly contracted at the base of the 
leaflet to which they are jointed. The leaf-blade is rounded and dotted with 
pellucid elands, its margins being cut into shallow rounded teeth or crenatures. 
In the young state the leaves are composed of three small leaflets carried on a 
slender leaf-stalk, the leaflets notched at the apex or rounded, and the nuddle 
leaflet is larger than the others: they are rarely seen on plants above Ift. in 
height, 
The flowers are produced in clusters in the axils of the leaves, and are 
borne on very slender pedicels: three or four flowers usually spring from an axil ; 
most frequently three flowers spring from a common flower-stalk, and a fourth 
from its base. Male, female, and perfect flowers may be found on the same or 
on separate plants. 
The flowers are white, with the petals more membranous than those of 
M. ternata ; the stamens are of unequal length, and longer than the petals; the 
ovary is very silky, with a remarkably short style, so that the stigma is nearly 
sessile. The fruit does not differ from that of M. fernata. The flowers are 
produced during the months of September and October. 
PROPERTIES AND USEs. 
The wood is in all respects similar to that of M. ternata, although in old 
specimens it 1s of a more satiny lustre, and therefore better adapted to the pur- 
poses of the cabinetmaker. 
DistRiBUTION, 
Melicope simplex is frequent on the margins of woods, especially in cool dry 
situations, from Mongonui to Otago, but does not extend to Stewart Island. 
It ascends from sea-level to 1,500ft. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Melicope simplex, A. Cunn. 
Hook., ‘t Icones Plantarum,” t. 585. 
An evergreen shrub or small tree. Leaves alternate, sometimes crowded on 
short aborted branches: in very young plants trifoliolate, but in older plants 
unifoliolate, petioles rather shorter than the leaves, flattened, deeply channelled 
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