Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/124

84 2. A. Colensoi, ''Hook. f Handb. N.Z. Fl. 33.—A shrub or small tree 6–15 ft. high, very similar in general appearance to A. racemosa,'' but the leaves are firmer in texture, sometimes narrower and ovate-lanceolate, usually quite glabrous, green below. Racemes simple, rarely compound, few-flowered. Berry smaller, the size of a peppercorn.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 75.

3. A. fruticosa, Hook. f Fl. Nov. Zel. i, 34.—A very variable much-branched erect or decumbent shrub 3–8 ft. high; branches often close and rigid; bark red-brown; branchlets, petioles, and pedicels pubescent. Leaves excessively variable, of young plants linear or lanceolate, ½–1½ in. long, acute or acuminate, toothed lobed or pinnatifid; on mature plants ¼–1 in. long, ovate-obovate or oblong-obovate or linear-oblong, obtuse, coriaceous, entire crenate serrate or shortly lobed; petioles short, stout. Flowers small, axillary, solitary or in 3–6-flowered racemes or cymes; pedicels short, pubescent. Sepals 4, oblong, obtuse, pubescent. Petals 4, shorter or longer than the sepals, entire or with 1–4 irregular shallow notches at the apex. Stamens 4–6; filaments very short. Berry very small, globose. Seeds usually 4.—''Handb. N.Z. Fl. 33; Kirk, Students' Fl.'' 75. A. erecta, ''Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst.'' iii. (1871) 209. Myrsine brachyclada. ''Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst.'' xxii. (1890) 478.

Trees. Leaves usually alternate, entire or serrate, exstipulate. Flowers hermaphrodite, rarely polygamous, in axillary racemes. Sepals 4 or 5, distinct, valvate. Petals the same number, laciniate at the apex, inserted round a cushion-shaped torus. Stamens numerous, seated on the torus; anthers long, awned, opening by a terminal slit. Ovary 2–5-celled; ovules 2 or more in each cell, pendulous; style subulate; stigma terminal, simple. Fruit a drupe with a hard or bony stone, which is 2–5-celled or by abortion 1-celled. Seeds solitary in each cell, pendulous; albumen fleshy; cotyledons broad.