# Manual of the New Zealand Flora/Thymelæaceæ

Additions and Corrections
Order LXXI. THYMELÆACEÆ.
Shrubs or trees, rarely herbs, inner bark tough and stringy. Leaves opposite or alternate, simple and entire; stipules wanting. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, in axillary or terminal heads or clusters, racemes or spikes, rarely solitary. Perianth inferior, gamophyllous, tubular or campanulate, often swollen at the base; throat usually furnished with scales or glands; limb with 4–5 imbricate lobes. Stamens as many or twice as many as the corolla-lobes (in Pimelea 2 only) inserted on the perianth-tube; anthers 2-celled. Ovary superior, 1-celled or rarely 2-celled; style short or long, terminal or lateral; stigma capitate; ovules solitary or 1 in each cell, pendulous, anatropous. Fruit indehiscent, a drupe or nut or berry. Seed pendulous, testa thin or crustaceous; albumen fleshy or wanting; embryo straight, cotyledons fleshy, radicle superior.
An order of moderate size, scattered over most parts of the world. Genera nearly 40, species estimated at 360. Many of the species are more or less acrid and caustic, as the spurge-laurel and mezereum, both of which are used in medicine. The roots of several furnish a yellow dye, and the tough inner bark of others is employed for cordage. Lagetta lintearia yields the well-known lace-bark. Several species of Daphne and Pimelea are well-known garden-plants. Of the 2 New Zealand genera, Pimelea is found elsewhere only in Australia, where it is largely developed; Drapetes has a wider range, extending to Australia and Borneo on one side and South America on the other.
| No scales within the perianth. Stamens 2 | 1. Pimelea. |
| Scales of the perianth 4 or 8. Stamens 4 | 2. Drapetes. |
1. PIMELEA, Banks and Solander.
Shrubs or undershrubs, rarely herbs. Leaves opposite or alternate, usually small. Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamo-diœcious, usually terminal and capitate. Perianth-tube cylindrical; limb spreading, rarely erect, 4-lobed; throat without scales but sometimes thickened or folded. Stamens 2, inserted on the throat of the perianth opposite the 2 outer lobes; filaments slender; anthers introrse. Hypogynous disc wanting. Ovary 1-celled; style elongated; stigma capitate; ovule solitary, pendulous. Fruit small, drupaceous, included in the base of the perianth; epicarp dry or fleshy; endocarp crustaceous. Seed pendulous, with a membranous testa; albumen scanty or copious.
A very natural and distinct genus of over 80 species, confined to Australia and New Zealand. The 12 species found in New Zealand are all endemic, with the exception of P. longifolia, which is said to occur in Lord Howe Island. Several of them are exceedingly variable, and appear to be connected by intermediate forms, making their proper definition a matter of great difficulty. This ​is specially the case with P. virgata, P. lævigata, P. Urvilleana, and P. Lyallii, the numerous forms of which require a careful study in the field before their proper position can be determined.
The flowers of Pimelea are usually described as hermaphrodite. But all the New Zealand species are functionally diœcious, or occasionally polygamo-diœcious. The male flowers are the most numerous and the most conspicuous. The stamens have long slender filaments, so that the anthers either reach the top of the perianth-lobes or are slightly exserted; and the style with its comparatively small stigma is always included within the perianth. I have never seen fruit in this form, and believe that the pistil is quite functionless. The female flowers are smaller, often swollen at the base, although narrower above. The anthers are small, almost sessile, and are usually devoid of pollen. The ovary is large, with a short style and large capitate stigma, which is conspicuously exserted when the flower is mature. Pollen is sometimes present in this form, but in the majority of cases the flowers are strictly female.
A. Erect shrubs. Branches and leaves usually glabrous. :
| Leaves 1–3 in., broad or narrow lanceolate, flat. Flowers ½ in. long | 1. P. longifolia. |
| Leaves ⅓–¾ in., oblong or linear-oblong, often keeled. Flowers ⅓–½ in. | 2. P. Gnidia. |
| Leaves ⅙–⅓ in., oblong or obovate-oblong, obtuse. Flowers ¼–⅓ in. | 3. P. Traversii. |
| B. Erect or rarely procumbent shrubs. Branches pubescent or villous with silky hairs. ||
| Leaves ¼–⅓ in., quadrifariously imbricate, oblong or elliptic, keeled, glabrous; floral often larger | 4. P. buxifolia. |
| Leaves ½–1 in., not imbricate, linear-lanceolate, flat, silky beneath | 5. P. virgata. |
| Leaves ¾–1½ in., in distant pairs, broadly lanceolate, silky beneath | 6. P. Haastii. |
| Leaves ¼–½ in., opposite and decussate, oblong or elliptic, under-surface clothed with appressed white silky hairs | 7. P. arenaria. |
| C. Prostrate or procumbent or rarely erect shrubs. Branches pubescent or villous with silky hairs. ||
| Branches grey, pubescent or villous or glabrate. Leaves 1/10–1/3 in., linear-oblong to obovate-oblong, usually glabrous | 8. P. lævigata. |
| Branches with soft villous hairs. Leaves ⅙–¼ in., oblong, obtuse, glabrous | 9. P. Urvilleana. |
| Branches tortuous, sparingly silky. Leaves ⅓ in., narrow linear-lanceolate, surfaces glabrous, margins and apices ciliate | 10. P. Suteri. |
| Branches silky. Leaves ⅙–½ in., linear-oblong to elliptic-oblong, silky | 11. P. Lyallii. |
| Branches densely silky-villous. Leaves ⅛–¼ in., linear-oblong to elliptic-oblong, very densely silky-villous on both surfaces | 12. P.sericeo-villosa. |
P. polycephala, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1890) 487, a small densely branched species with something of the appearance of a dwarf specimen of P. Traversii, differs from all the known New Zealand species in the coloured and membranous floral leaves. But the type specimen in Mr. Colenso's herbarium is a mere fragment in very bad condition, and until better specimens are obtained it is quite impossible to be sure of the relationships of the plant.
​1. P. longifolia, Banks and Sol. ex Wikstr. in Vet. Akad. Handl. Stockh. (1818) 280.—A small erect much-branched shrub 2–5 ft. high, perfectly glabrous except the inflorescence and sometimes a minute tuft of hairs at the tips of the young leaves; bark dark reddish-brown. Leaves crowded, opposite, spreading or suberect, 1–3 in. long, ⅓–¾ in. broad, oblong- or elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, acute or acuminate, narrowed into a very short petiole, coriaceous, flat, smooth, midrib and lateral veins distinct beneath; floral leaves similar or slightly broader. Flowers in compact many-flowered heads terminating the branches, sessile, sweetscented, white or white tinged with rose, polygamo-diœcious. Receptacle villous. Perianth densely silky-villous; males the largest, ½–¾ in. long, with exserted anthers on slender filaments and a rather short style with small capitate stigma. Females smaller and narrower; anthers smaller, on short filaments, usually without pollen; style longer, with a larger capitate and papillose stigma. Fruit dry with a membranous epicarp, included in the swollen base of the perianth.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 220; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 242; Benth. Fl. Austral. vi. 7. Passerina longifolia, Thunb. Mus. Nat. Acad. Upsal. xiii. 106.
Var. lanceolata.—Leaves narrower, 1–2 in. long, ⅙–¼ in. broad, linear-lanceolate. Flowers smaller.—P. lanceolata, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1890) 483 (male). P. similis, Col. l.c. (female). P. angulata, Col. l.c. xviii. (1886) 265 (a form with occasionally 3 or 4 stamens).
North Island: Not uncommon throughout. South Island: Nelson—From Collingwood southwards to Westport. Sea-level to 3000 ft. Taranga. October–December.
2. P. Gnidia, Willd. Sp. Plant. i. 50.—A stout erect much-branched shrub 1–5 ft. high, glabrous except the inflorescence and sometimes a tuft of silky hairs in the axils of the leaves; bark dark reddish-brown. Leaves close-set, opposite, shortly petioled, ⅓–¾ in. long, oblong or oblong-lanceolate or linear-oblong, usually acute at both ends, rigid and coriaceous, often slightly keeled by the prominent midrib, veinless, margins usually slightly thickened; floral similar or rather broader. Flowers in compact many-flowered heads terminating the branches, sessile, white or palerose, polygamo-diœcious. Perianth densely silky-villous, ⅓–½ in. long. Anthers exserted. Style slender; stigma capitate, exserted. Fruit dry.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 171; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 343; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 221; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 243. Banksia Gnidia, Forst. Char. Gen. 8, t. 4. Passerina Gnidia, Forst. Prodr. n. 170. Cookia Gnidia, Gmel. Syst. i. 24.
Var. pulchella.—Robust. Leaves larger, ½–1 in. long, elliptic-lanceolate or linear-obovate, acute or obtuse, not keeled, lateral veins often evident. Heads larger with more numerous flowers. Flowers almost as large as those of P. longifolia. Intermediate between P. Gnidia and P. longifolia, and with equal claims to be referred to either species.
​North Island: Ruahine Range, Colenso (Handbook). South Island: Marlborough and Nelson—Mount Stokes, J. H. Macmahon! Torrent Bay, Sandy Bay, Kingsley! Maitai Valley, Mount Owen, Wangapeka, T.F.C.; Mount Rochfort, W. Townson! Otago—Dusky Bay, Forster, Menzies, Enys! Sea-level to 4000ft. December–January.
Very close to P. buxifolia, but always to be distinguished by the glabrous branches.
3. P. Traversii, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 243.—A small very stout usually erect densely branched shrub 6–24 in. high; branches stout, often tortuous, prominently tubercled at the insertion of the fallen leaves, glabrous or slightly pubescent, usually with a tuft of silky hairs in the axils of the leaves; bark blackishbrown. Leaves closely quadrifariously imbricated, sessile, ⅙–⅓ in. long, oblong or obovate-oblong to suborbicular, obtuse, thick and coriaceous, quite glabrous, midrib evident or obscure, veinless, margins often edged with red; floral leaves larger and broader, often Twice or thrice as large, sometimes drying a peculiar verdigrisgreen. Flowers numerous, densely capitate, white or pinkish-white, polygamo-diœcious. Perianth densely silky-villous, ¼–⅓ in. long, the females shorter and broader than the males. Anthers in the male flowers almost reaching the top of the lobes, in the female flowers small and empty and on very short filaments. Ripe fruit not seen.
South Island: Marlborough—Kaikoura Mountains, Monro, Buchanan! Nelson—Mount Percival and Clarence Valley, T.F.C. Canterbury—Hurunui Mountains, Travers; Upper Waimakariri, Kirk! Ashburton Mountains, Potts! Rangitata Valley, Armstrong! Mount Dobson, T.F.C. Otago—Mount St. Bathan's, Mount Ida, Petrie! 2000–4500 ft. December–February.
In its ordinary state a distinct little species, easily recognised by the very robust habit, stout scarred and usually glabrous branches, small broad leaves, and numerous rather large flowers. Diffuse or almost prostrate forms, with slightly pubescent branches, show an approach to P. lævigata.
4. P. buxifolia, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 243. —A small stout erect compactly branched shrub 1–5 ft. high; branches stout, densely clothed with coarse short greyish hairs; bark brownish-black, muricated. Leaves quadrifariously imbricated, shortly petioled, ¼–¾ in. long, oblong-ovate or elliptic-oblong, acute or obtuse, coriaceous, glabrous, keeled, much wrinkled beneath, lateral veins conspicuous or obsolete, often verdigris-green when dry; floral leaves usually larger and broader. Flowers numerous, densely capitate, white or pink, polygamo-diœcious. Perianth silky-villous, ¼–⅓ in. long; females shorter and broader. Anthers in the male flowers on long filaments, almost reaching the top of the perianth-lobes; in the females minute, empty. Ripe fruit not seen.—P. stylosa, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 205. P. subsimilis, Col. l.c. xxviii. (1896) 609. P. montana, Col. l.c. xxxi. (1899) 279.
North Island: Mountains near the head of the Tairua River, J. Adams! Mount Hikurangi, S. Dodgshun, Adams and Petrie! Tongariro and Ruapehu, Colenso, Captain G. Mair! H. Hill! Rev. F. H. Spencer! Ruahine Mountains, Colenso, Petrie! A. Hamilton! H. Hill! Kaweka Mountain, Colenso! 1500–4500 ft. December–March.
Very close to P. Gnidia, but easily distinguished by the branches being hirsute with coarse hairs. Hooker mentions the "evident lateral nerves" of the leaves as a good character, but I find that the leaves frequently have the veins very obscure.
5. P. virgata, Vahl. Enum. i. 306.—A slender erect much-branched shrub 1–4 ft. high; branches long, slender, virgate, slightly ringed with the scars of the fallen leaves, younger ones more or less clothed with appressed silky hairs. Leaves spreading, close together or remote, not imbricate, almost sessile, ½–1 in. long, linear-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, not coriaceous, flat, nerveless, usually glabrous above, pilose with appressed silky hairs beneath; floral leaves similar or occasionally larger and ovate-lanceolate. Flowers in compact 6–12-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, sometimes becoming axillary by the rapid growth of leafy shoots springing from beneath the heads. Perianth ¼–⅓ in. long,, densely silky-villous; tube swollen at the base; lobes ovate, obtuse. Fruit usually baccate, white, ovoid-oblong, ⅙–¼ in. long, often hairy at the tip.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 173; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 345; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 220; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 243. P. pilosa, Willd. Sp. Plant. i. 50. P. dichotoma, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1890) 485. Passerina pilosa, Linn. f. StippL 226; Forst. Prodr. n. 171.
North and South Islands: From the Three Kings Islands and the North Cape to Nelson and Marlborough. Sea-level to 2000 ft. September–December.
A common plant in the northern portion of the colony, well marked by the slender habit and rather lax lanceolate spreading leaves.
6. P. Haastii, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xii. (1880) 396.—"A strict low-growing shrub 6–10 in. high; branches few (?), very slender, white with silky hairs. Leaves in distant pairs, petioled, ascending, narrow-lanceolate, ¾–1¼ in. long, acute, hairy below or nearly glabrous, margins recurved; floral leaves similar. Flowers 5–8 in a head, very small; perianth swollen below, silky; lobes narrow, spreading. Filaments short. Style equalling the perianthtube. Fruit not seen."
South Island: Alps of Canterbury, Haast, Armstrong!
Of this species I have only seen a single very fragmentary specimen in Mr. Kirk's herbarium, and have consequently quoted the original description. It appears to differ little from P. virgata, except in the more slender habit and distant rather longer and broader leaves.
​7. P. arenaria, A. Cunn. in Bot. Mag. t. 8270.—An erect or spreading rarely procumbent shrub 9–30 in. high; branches stout, strict, erect or ascending, simple or dichotomously or corymbosely branched above, densely clothed with long silvery white appressed silky hairs. Leaves opposite and decussate, close-set or remote, not usually imbricating, spreading or deflexed, ¼–½ in. long, elliptic-oblong to broadly oblong-ovate or almost orbicular, obtuse or subacute, flat, coriaceous, veinless, glabrous or sparsely pilose above, densely clothed with shining silky appressed hairs beneath; floral leaves rather larger and broader. Flowers in compact 5–15-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, white, polygamodiœcious. Perianth shaggy with white silky hairs, ⅕–¼ in. long; tube short; lobes oblong, obtuse; females smaller, with a broader base. Anthers oblong. Fruit baccate, rather large.—Precur. n. 347; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 221; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 244. Passerina villosa, Thunb. in Mus. Acad. Upsal. xiii. 106. Gymnococca arenaria, Fisch. and Mey. Ind. Sem. Hort. Petrop. x. (1845) 47.
North and South Islands, Chatham Islands: Abundant on sand-dunes on all the coasts. Aute-taranga; Toroheke. November–March.
A most beautiful plant, at once recognised by the copious white silky hairs on the branches and undersurface of the leaves. According to Mr. Colenso, the berries were formerly eaten by the Natives, who also used the inner bark of the branches for preparing cloth-like strips for fastening up their hair.
8. P. lævigata, Gærtn. Fruct. i. 186, t. 39, f. 1.—A small prostrate or suberect much-branched shrub; branches scarred, stout or slender, long or short, from 4 or 6 in. to 2 ft. long; the younger ones usually more or less pubescent or sometimes glabrate, seldom white with villous hairs as in P. Urvilleana; bark dark-brown or reddishbrown. Leaves sometimes crowded and quadrifariously imbricate, at other times laxly placed, erect or spreading or deflexed, 1/10–1/3 in. long, lanceolate or linear-oblong to elliptic-oblong or obovate-oblong, obtuse or acute, flat or concave, nerveless or the midrib prominent beneath, usually glabrous on both surfaces; floral leaves rather larger and broader. Flowers in few- or many-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, small, white, polygamo-diœcious. Perianth ⅛–¼ in. long, more or less silky-villous or pilose, the females smaller and narrower than the males. Fruit usually baccate, white, ovoid, acute.—P. prostrata, Willd. Sp. Plant. i. 51; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 174; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 346; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 220; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 244. P. rugulosa, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxi. (1889) 102. P. microphylla, P. bicolor, and P. heterophylla, Col. l.c. xxii. (1890) 484–486. Passerina prostrata, Forst. Prodr. n. 172. Cookia prostrata, Gmel. Syst. 24.
Var. erecta.—Stems stout, erect or suberect. Heads usually many-flowered.
Var. repens.—Stems more slender, procumbent or prostrate, often very diffusely branched. Flowers fewer and smaller.
Var. alpina.—Stems stout, suberect or spreading, branches tortuous, scarred, often nearly glabrous.
North and South Islands: From the Three Kings Islands and the North Cape southwards to the Bluff, abundant. Sea-level to 4500 ft. October–March.
An almost polymorphous plant, the various forms of which are much in need of careful study and comparison.
9. P. Urvilleana, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 175.—A small widely-spreading rather laxly branched procumbent shrub; branches 4–18 in. long, scarred, the younger ones white with copious short appressed silky hairs. Leaves close-set, usually quadrifariously imbricating, spreading or deflexed, ⅙–¼ in. long, linear-oblong to oblong or oblong-ovate, obtuse or subacute, thick and coriaceous, concave, nerveless, usually glabrous on both surfaces; floral leaves usually larger and broader. Flowers in 4–8-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, small, white. Perianth ⅙–⅕ in. long, villous with long white hairs; lobes equalling the tube, broadly oblong, obtuse. Fruit baccate, white.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 348; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 221; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 244. P. prostrata var. Urvilleana, Meisn. in D.C. Prodr. xiv. 517. Gymnococca microcarpa, Fisch. and Mey. Ind. Sem. Hort. Petrop. x. (1845) 47.
North Island: Usually near the sea. Bay of Islands, Cunningham; Whangarei Heads, Great Barrier Island, Kirk! Little Barrier Island, T.F.C.; vicinity of Auckland, Colonel Haultain! Taranaki, Dieffenbach. South Island: Nelson—Tasman Bay, D'Urville. October–March.
A very imperfectly understood species, apparently only differing from states of P. lævigata in the copious snow-white hairs on the young branches.
10. P. Suteri, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 259.—A small much-branched shrub 4–12 in. high; branches spreading or suberect, often tortuous; the younger ones sparingly pilose with rather long straight silky hairs; bark dark red-brown or black. Leaves crowded, shortly petiolate or nearly sessile, erecto-patent, about ⅓ in. long, narrow linear-lanceolate, subacute, coriaceous, concave above, both surfaces glabrous or rarely with a few lax hairs, margins and apices ciliated with long straight hairs. Flowers in 4–8-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, white, polygamodioecious. Perianth ¼–⅓ in. long, villous with white hairs. Fruit baccate, red, ovoid, acute, hairy at the tip.
South Island: Nelson—Dun Mountain Range. W. T. L. Travers! P. Lawson! R. J. Kingsley! 2000–3500 ft.
A peculiar little plant, closely related to P. Lyallii and P. lævigata, but differing from both in the narrower leaves, with ciliate margins and apices.
​11. P. Lyallii, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 222.—A small stout prostrate or suberect much-branched shrub 6–18 in. high; branches sometimes long, spreading or trailing, at other times shorter, ascending or erect; the younger ones more or less silky-pilose with appressed hairs, rarely almost glabrous; bark dark red-brown. Leaves usually close-set, erect or patent, ⅙–½ in. long, linear-oblong or elliptic-oblong or lanceolate, acute or acuminate, concave, nerveless, glabrous above or nearly so, silky with long hairs beneath or almost glabrate; floral leaves similar to the others. Flowers in 4–12-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, white. Perianth about ¼ in. long, densely silky-villous; lobes ovate-oblong, obtuse. Athers short, oblong.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 245.
Var. sericea.—Usually erect. Branchlets and leaves on both surfaces densely clothed with long silky appressed hairs, the leaves usually larger and broader.
North Island: Ruahine Range, Colenso! Tryon! A. Hamilton! Var. sericea: Ruahine Range, Colenso! Hawke's Bay, A. Hamilton! South Island, Stewart Island: The typical form abundant in mountain districts throughout. Var. sericea: Kurow and other places in the Waitaki Valley, Buchanan! Petrie! Clutha Valley, Petrie! Crown Range, Cardrona, Kirk! Usually from 2000 to 4500 ft., but descends to sea-level in the south of Otago and on Stewart Island. December–March.
An exceedingly variable plant. Slender erect forms approach P. virgata, others with smaller almost glabrous leaves seem to pass into P. lævigata, while the extreme state of var. sericea has much of the appearance of P. arenaria. Var. sericea is referred to P. virgata in Kirk's herbarium, but I think it is better placed under P. Lyallii.
12. P. sericeo-villosa, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 245.—A much-branched prostrate shrub, forming compact depressed patches 3–18 in. across, everywhere densely villous with long pale silky hairs; branchlets short, stout, densely leafly. Leaves crowded, closely imbricating, erect, ⅛–¼ in. long, linear-oblong or elliptic-oblong, obtuse or acute, concave, both surfaces villous with long straight hairs, which usually completely conceal the leaf. Flowers in 2–6-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, white. Perianth ⅙–⅕ in. long, densely silky-villous; lobes ovate-oblong, obtuse.
South Island: Marlborough—Monro; Mount Duppa, Macmahon! Nelson—Wairau Mountains, Travers; Jollie's Pass, Haast! T.F.C.; Upper Clarence Valley, T.F.C. Canterbury—Lake Tekapo and Mackenzie Plains, T.F.C. Otago—Waitaki Valley, Hector and Buchanan! Clutha Valley, from Cromwell to Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, Petrie! 500–3500 ft. December–March.
Differs from P. Lyallii in its more completely prostrate and often densely compacted habit, and in the far more copious covering of long straight silky hairs.
2. DRAPETES, Banks.
Small prostrate spreading or densely cufted shrubby plants. Leaves small, alternate, imbricate, concave. Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamo-diœcious, sessile in small terminal heads. Perianth tubular or funnel-shaped; lobes 4, spreading; throat usually furnished with 1 or 2 scales opposite each lobe, rarely naked. Stamens 4, inserted on the throat of the perianth and alternate with its lobes; filaments short, filiform; anthers oblong. Hypogynous scales wanting. Ovary sessile, 1-celled; style long; stigma capitate; ovule solitary, pendulous. Fruit a small drupe; epicarp thin, fleshy; endocarp crustaceous. Seed pendulous, cotyledons broad, thick.
A small genus of 5 species, found in Fuegia, New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea, and Borneo. The New Zealand species are endemic.
| Branches glabrous or slightly villous. Leaves 1/10–1/6 in., linear or linear-ligulate. Male perianth funnel-shaped. Scales 4, entire or 2-lobed, or 8 in very closely approximate pairs | 1. D. Dieffenbachii. |
| Branches densely villous. Leaves ⅙–¼ in., linear-subulate, broadest at the base. Male perianth funnel-shaped. Scales 8, in distinct pairs | 2. D. villosa. |
| Branches closely compacted. Leaves 1/12–1/10 in., ovate-oblong, subacute. Male perianth almost campanulate. Scales 8, in distinct pairs | 3. D. Lyallii. |
Fruiting specimens of a Drapetes found on Mount Sinclair, Banks Peninsula, have been identified by Dr. Berggren with the Australian and Tasmanian D. tasmanica, Hook, f., but I have seen no specimens. According to Bentham, it is very close to D. Dieffenbachii, principally differing in the smaller and more hairy perianth, the lobes of which are as long as the tube.
1. D. Dieffenbachii, Hook. in Lond. Journ. Bot. ii. (1843) 497, t. 17.—A small creeping and rooting much-branched plant; stems woody at the base, 3–12 in. long; branches stout or slender, scarred, ascending at the tips, glabrous or slightly villous with short white hairs. Leaves usually close-set and imbricating, but sometimes distant on barren shoots, suberect, often incurved at the tips, 1/10–1/6 in. long, linear or linear-lingalate, obtuse, concave in front, convex on the back, grooved or striate or almost smooth, glabrous or nearly so when old, but the upper half of the margins and the apex ciliate when young. Flowers small, polygamo-diœcious, in 3–8-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, sunk amongst the uppermost leaves. Male perianth about ⅙ in. long, funnel-shaped, the lobes about ⅓ the length of the tube. Scales very variable, sometimes a single entire one at the base of each lobe, but more often the scale is 2-lobed or divided to the base into 2 distinct but closely approximate scales. Stamens with long slender filaments, the anthers almost reaching the top of the lobes. Ovary and style very small, abortive. Female (or hermaphrodite) perianth smaller and broader. Anthers much smaller, usually ​empty, on shorter filaments. Ovary large, densely villous at the tip: style long; stigma capitate, exserted. Fruit small, ovoid.—Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 222; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 245. D. macrantha, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii. (1890) 487. Kelleria Dieffenbachii, Endl. Gen. Suppl. iv. 61; Meisn. in D.C. Prodr. xiv. 566.
Var. laxa.—Pale-green, more laxly branched. Leaves larger, spreading or ascending, ⅙–¼ in. long, linear-oblong, obtuse, rather thin, almost flat, conspicuously nerved, ciliate on the margins and back. Heads 3–8-flowered. Perianth-lobes almost equalling the tube; scales 8, small. Perhaps a distinct species.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Common in mountain districts from Moehau (Cape Colville) and Hikurangi southwards. Var. laxa: Ruahine Mountains, H. Tryon! Nelson—Mountains flanking the Wairau Valley, T.F.C.; Mount Murchison, Townson! 2000–4500 ft. December–March.
A very variable plant, which does not seem to be separated by any definite characters from the following species. The var. laxa may prove distinct, but it requires further study with a larger suite of specimens than has yet been obtained.
2. D. villosa, Cheesem.—Very similar in most of its characters to D. Dieffenbachii, but usually a more robust plant, with the branchlets more or less villous with greyish hairs, and with slightly larger leaves that are somewhat broader at the base, and have the margins and frequently the back ciliate to the base. Flowers in 3–4-flowered heads at the tips of the branches, similar to those of D. Dieffenbachii, but the glands always 8.—Kelleria villosa, Berggren in Minnesk. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 18, t. 5, f. 1–15.
Var. multiflora.—Leaves longer, strict, ascending, ⅕–¼ in. long, narrow linear-lanceolate, tapering from the base to an obtuse tip, slightly convex on the back, conspicuously 5-nerved; margins ciliate with long straight hairs and with a pencil of hairs at the apex. Flowers in 5–12-flowered heads at the tips of the branches. Glands 8, very small.
South Island: Mountain districts in Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago, apparently not uncommon. Var. multiflora: Nelson—Mount Arthur Plateau, T.F.C.; Mount Faraday, Townson! Canterbury—Candlestick Mountains, Cockayne! Mount Torlesse, T.F.C. Westland—Kelly's Hill, Petrie! 2500–4500 ft. December–March.
Not at all a satisfactory species. The var. multiflora agrees in the villous branches, but differs in a marked degree in the longer, strict, strongly nerved leaves, and more numerous flowers. All the forms of villosa and Dieffenbachii are much in need of a careful revision.
3. D. Lyallii, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. ii. 336.—A compactly branched moss-like plant, usually forming dense patches 1–4 in. diam.; branches short, erect or ascending. Leaves very densely imbricate, usually erect, 1/12–1/10 in. long, narrow-ovate or ovate-oblong or ovate-subulate, broadest at the base and then tapering gradually to an acute or subacute tip, convex and smooth on the ​back, not prominently nerved, apex and margins ciliate. Flowers small, polygamo-diœcious, solitary or 2–3 together at the tips of the branches. Male perianth 1/10–1/8 in. long, broadly funnel-shaped or almost campanulate; lobes about as long as the tube, oblong-ovate, each with 2 glands at the base. Stamens with slender filaments; anthers almost reaching the top of the lobes. Ovary small, with a very short style. Female perianth (or hermaphrodite) smaller and rather broader, 1/12–1/10 in. long. Anthers very small, usually empty, on very short filaments. Ovary ciliate at the top; style long, stout; stigma capitate, exserted.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 246. D. muscosa, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 223 (not Lam.). Kelleria Dieffenbachii var. Lyallii, Meisn. in D.C. Prodr. xiv. 566.
South Island: Nelson—Wairau Gorge, T.F.C.; Mount Owen, T.F.C.; Waiau Valley, Travers. Canterbury—Southern Alps, Sinclair and Haast, Armstrong. Otago—Lake district, Hector and Buchanan! Dunstan Mountains, Hector Mountains, Mount Pisa, Mount Cardrona, &c., Petrie! Stewart Island: Lyall, Kirk! 4000–6500 ft. December–March.
A well-marked species, at once recognised by the compact habit, small ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate leaves, and broad almost campanulate perianth.