Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/273

Schefflera. oblong- or obovate-lanceolate, acuminate, thin and membranous finely and sharply serrate, in young plants often irregularly lobulate or pinnatifid Panicles axillary or from the branches below the leaves, 8–12 in. long; branches numerous, long, spreading at right angles Flowers small, greenish, ¼–⅓ in. diam., in 4–8-flowered umbels arranged in a racemose manner along the branches of the panicle; peduncles ½ in. long; pedicels ¼ in. Fruit globose, $1⁄10$–$1⁄8$ in. diam., juicy, grooved when dry.—''Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 103; Kirk, Students Fl.'' 220. S. Cunninghamii, ''Miq. in Linnæa'' xviii. (1844) 89. Aralia Schefflera, ''Spreng. Pl. Pugill. i. 28; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 283; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 513; Raoul, Choix, 46; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel.'' i 95, t. 22.

Glabrous shrubs or small trees. Leaves extremely variable, simple or digitately compound, those of young plants often widely different from those of mature trees; leaflets coriaceous, entire or more or less toothed or serrate. Flowers diœcious, in racemose or paniculate umbels. Calyx-limb entire or toothed. Petals 5, valvate. Stamens 5; anthers ovate or oblong. Ovary 5-celled; styles the same number, very short, connate into a short cone or column. Fruit fleshy, subglobose, ribbed when dry, 5-ceIled; seeds 1 in each cell.

1. P. discolor, Cheesem.—A much-branched shrub 6–15 ft. high. Leaves bronzy or yellow-green, 3–5-foliolate, often with 1-foliolate leaves intermixed; petioles slender, 1–3 in. long; leaflets 1½–3 in.