North Island: Coast south of Mongonui, T. F. C. Whangaroa, Buchanan! Kirk! Great Barrier Island, Kirk! Kennedy's Bay, T. F. C.; hills near Tairua, Petrie! September–October.
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.
10. P. ellipticum, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iv. (1872) 266.—A small spreading tree with black bark, 15-25 ft. high; branchlets, young leaves, and inflorescence densely covered with ferruginous tomentum. Leaves 2–4 in. long, elliptic-oblong or elliptic-obovate to oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, quite entire, coriaceous; petioles short, stout. Flowers in terminal 2–5-flowered umbels; peduncles short, decurved. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acute, densely tomentose. Petals recurved at the tips. Capsules broadly ovoid, slightly compressed, ⅔ in. diam., tomentose, 2-valved; valves faintly 2-lobed.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 52.
Var. ovatum, Kirk, l.c.—Leaves smaller, spreading, broadly elliptical or obovate, rounded at the apex. Flowers not seen.
North Island: Whangaroa, Buchanan! Kirk! Mount Manaia, Whangarei Heads, Kirk! T. F. C.; coast north of the Manukau Harbour, Waitakerei West, T. F. C. Var. ovatum: Whangaroa and Mount Manaia, Kirk! October.
Allied to P. virgatum, but distinguished by the much larger and broader entire leaves, which do not differ in the young state, and by the larger flowers and capsules.
11. P. Ralphii, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iii. (1871) 161.—A laxly branched shrub 8–15 ft. in height, with dark-brown bark; branchlets, undersurface of leaves, petioles, and inflorescence densely clothed with thick white or buff tomentum. Leaves spreading, 2–5 in. long, oblong or oblong-obovate, quite entire, obtuse or acute, coriaceous, white with appressed tomentum beneath; margins flat; petioles slender, ½–¾ in. long. Flowers in terminal 3–10-flowered umbels; peduncles as long as the petioles. Sepals narrow-ovate, acuminate, tomentose. Petals spreading or recurved at the tips. Capsules on rather slender peduncles, broadly ovoid, ⅔ in. long, pubescent, 3-valved.—Students' Fl. 51.
North Island: East Cape district, not uncommon, Banks and Solander! Colenso! H. Hill! Adams and Petrie! &c.; Hawke's Bay, A. Hamilton! Upper Wanganui River, H. C. Field; Patea, Dr. Ralph! October–November.
Closely allied to P. crassifolium, but the leaves are much larger, oblong, not gradually narrowed into the petiole, and the margins are flat, not recurved, while the capsules are much smaller. It is without doubt the P. crassifolium of Banks and Solander's MSS., as is proved by their drawing and specimens; but unfortunately the name was applied by Putterlich and Cunningham to the following plant.
