Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/90

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50
VIOLARIEÆ.
[Hymenanthera.

3. H. obovata, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst, xxvii. (1895) 350.—An erect glabrous shrub 4–12 ft. in height, in sheltered places slender and sparingly branched, in more exposed situations forming a compactly branched bush. Leaves of mature plants ¾–2 in. long, obovate or oblong-obovate. thick and coriaceous, obtuse or retuse, quite entire, gradually narrowed into a short petiole; margins slightly recurved. Leaves of seedling plants membranous, obovate-cuneate, toothed or lobed. Flowers small, solitary or geminate, axillary or on the branches below the leaves, apparently diœcious, but not seen in a state fit for description. Berry ovoid, purplish, 2-seeded; seeds plano-convex.—Students' Fl. 44.

South Island: Nelson—Between Takaka and Riwaka, Kirk! Graham River, Mount Arthur, Mount Owen, T. F. C. Marlborough—Queen Charlotte Sound, Banks and Solander! Canterbury—Broken River, Kirk! Ashburton Mountains, T. H. Potts! Altitudinal range from 1000 to 4000ft. November.

A well-marked plant, at once recognised by the usually slender habit, strict branches, and entire obovate leaves. It is generally found on limestone rocks.


4. H. latifolia, Endl. Prodr. Fl. Ins. Norfolk, 70.—A stout sparingly branched shrub 3–10 ft. high; branches erect or straggling; bark covered with minute lenticels. Leaves alternate, variable in size and shape, 1½–4 in. long, ovate or ovate-lanceolate to obovate or obovate-oblong, coriaceous, obtuse or subacute, narrowed into a short stout petiole, sinuate or sinuate-serrate, rarely entire; margin thickened, slightly recurved; veins reticulate. Flowers diœcious, fascicled, 1/10 in. diam. Males: Often very numerous and clustered on the branches for a considerable length; pedicels decurved, bracteolate about the middle. Sepals ovate, obtuse, free almost to the base. Petals twice as long as the sepals, linear-oblong, erect at the base, revolute at the tips. Anthers 5; connectives produced into a long and narrow projection above each anther which is almost as long as the anther and jagged at the tip. Females: Smaller and less numerous, on shorter pedicels, usually erect. Sepals and petals as in the males. Ovary ovoid; stigmas 2. Berry broadly ovoid or nearly globose, purplish; seeds 2, plano-convex, grooved on the convex face, with a large strophiole.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 45. H. latifolia var. tasmanica, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iii. 163.

North Island: Three Kings Islands, T. F. C.; North Cape Peninsula, Buchanan! Kirk! T. F. C.; Taranga Islands, Kirk! T. F. C.; Great Barrier and adjacent islets. Kirk! Little Barrier Island, Kirk, T. F. C, Miss Shakespear! Waiheke Island, rare, Kirk; Cuvier Island, T. F. C; Shoe Island, J. Adams! August–September. Also in Norfolk Island.

The identification of this plant with the Norfolk Island H. latifolia must not be considered as proved until specimens from both localities have been compared. The large broad leaves and numerous flowers separate it from its New Zealand allies.