492 PITTOSPORACEAE. [| Prttosporum. 
and interlaced often zigzag branches. Juvenile leaves alternate or fascicled 
at the tips of the branchlets, very variable in size and shape, broadly 
obovate-spathulate to linear-spathulate, entire or more or less toothed or 
lobed or almost pinnatifid, }-}in. long or more, glabrous and coriaceous, 
passing by easy transitions into the leaves of the adult plant, which are 
borne on slender erect branches, not obviously divaricating. Leaves of 
adult plants $—-1d in. long, linear- or oblong-spathulate, gradually narrowed 
into a long slender base, coriaceous, entire or obscurely toothed or lobed. 
Flowers in 4—10-flowered termina umbels; pedicels short, slender, silky. 
Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acuminate. Petals narrow, nearly 4 as long again 
as the sepals. Capsules globose, :-1 im. long, 2-valved, somewhat com- 
pressed ; valves persistent, hard and woody. 
Nortx [stanpd: Waimarino Plateau, western base of Ruapehu, #. Phillips Turner, 
H. B. Matthews ! H. Carse ! Aititudinal range 2000-3500 ft. 
A very singular species, agreeing in some respects with P. patulum, but differing 
altogether in the juvenile plant, both in its divaricating habit and the shape of its 
leaves. The fruit appears to be smaller than in P. patulum. 
13. P. virgatum 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iv (1872) 264.—A small 
spreading tree 15-20 ft. in height, with slender trunk and black bark ; 
branchlets, young leaves, petioles, and inflorescence densely clothed with 
ferruginous tomentum. Leaves very variable, in young trees ?-14 in. 
long, linear-lanceclate or elliptic-lanceolate, entire lobed or pinnatifid, 
gradually passing into the mature forms, which are 1—2in. long, elliptic- 
obovate to oblong-ovate to oeblong-lanceolate, usually entire but occasion- 
ally sinuate or lobed, acute or obtuse, gradually narrowed into short petioles. 
Flowers terminal in 2-5-flowered umbels rarely solitary. Sepals linear- 
lanceolate, acuminate, densely clothed with ferruginous tomentum. Petals 
dark-purple, shortly reflexed at the tips. Capsule erect, globose or nearly 
so, $ in. diam., 2-valved, glabrous when fully mature.—Siudenis’ FJ. (1899). 
50; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 56. 
Nortu Istanp: Tematamahoe Range, near Ahipara, H. B. Matthews ! H. Carse ! 
coast south of Mangonui Harbour, 7. F. C.; Whangaroa Harbour, Buchanan f 
T. Kirk ! Great Barrier Island, 7. Kirk / Coromandel and coast south of Kennedy’s. 
Bay, T. F. OC. ; hills near Tairua, Adams / Septem ber—Octo ber. 
The ferruginous pubescence, small terminal umbels, narrow sepals, and small globose 
capsule are the best characters of this species, which is nearest to P. ellipticum. The 
extreme variability of the leaves in the young plants is noteworthy. The mature stage, 
which is usually entire, is seldom attained until the tree has flowered for some years. 
14. P. Matthewsii Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. lii (1920) 17.—A small 
compactly branched tree 20-25 ft. high, with black bark ; branchlets, young 
leaves, petioles, and inflorescence more or less clothed with pale ferruginous. | 
tomentum. Leaves of young trees $-11 in. long, } in. broad, linear, entire 
or sinuate, glabrous or nearly so, gradually passing into the mature leaves,. 
which are linear-oblong or narrow obovate-oblong, 1-13 in. long, 4 in. 
broad, subacute, glabrous or nearly so, slightly coriaceous, entire or rarely 
sinuate-dentate near the apex, gradually narrowed into short petioles. 
Flowers terminal, solitary or in 2-6-flowered umbels, rather small, 4 in. 
long; peduncles equalling or shorter than the flowers, clothed, together 
with the sepals, with pale ferruginous tomentum ; sepals linear-lanceolate, 
acute. Petals dark-red, reflexed. Capsules obovoid or subpyriform, 
rather more than in. long, shortly apiculate, glabrous when fully mature,. 
9-valved. : 
