Art. LXVI.—On the Occurrence of the Australian Genus Poranthera in New Zealand.

By T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S.

[Read before the Auckland Institute, 10th June, 1878.]

A Few months ago, while examining the vegetation of the upper part of the Maitai Valley, near Nelson, I observed in one or two localities a small Euphorbiaceous plant, which, on examination, proved to belong to the Australian genus Poranthera. On referring to Bentham's “Flora Australiensis,” it became evident that P. microphylla, Brong., the most widely-diffused species of the genus, approached in most of its characters to my plant; but as it, with all the other species, was described by Mr. Bentham as having the leaves alternate, while my specimens all had opposite leaves, I concluded that I had before me a new species of the genus. My friend Baron Müeller, however, who has done me the favour of examining a series of specimens, informs me that although all writers describe the leaves of Poranthera as alternate, P. microphylla “has not rarely some, and very seldom all the leaves opposite,” and that he can find no characters to distinguish the New Zealand plant from the Australian. In this opinion, after examining a number of Australian specimens kindly forwarded by Baron Müeller, I now concur. As some little interest is naturally attached to the addition of a new genns to the New Zealand flora, I subjoin the following short diagnosis:—

Poranthera microphylla, Brong. in Duperry Voy. Coq. Bot. 218, t. 50 B; Bentham, Flora Australiensis, VI., 56.

Perfectly glabrous; stems slender, branched, prostrate at the base, ascending towards the tips, 6–9 inches long; leaves opposite, or rarely the upper ones alternate, linear-obovate, obtuse, gradually narrowed into the rather long petiole, ⅕ to ½ inch long, margins usually slightly recurved. Inflorescence composed of terminal, short and dense bracteate racemes; bracts linear-subulate, lower ones longer than the flowers; flowers minute, white, monæcious. Male flowers: calyx divided into 5 segments; petals 5, minute, linear-subulate, each with a large green gland at its base; stamens 5; rudimentary ovary composed of three clavate bodies. Female flowers rather larger and on longer pedicels; calyx and petals the same as in the males; stamens O; ovary depressed, 6-lobed, 3-celled, each cell with two ovules; capsule separating into three 2-valved cocci, the whole falling away from the persistent axis; seeds granulate.

Hab: Among clumps of Pimelea Inidia in the Fagus forest, Upper Maitai Valley, Nelson—J. Adams and T. F. Cheeseman. In Australia the species ranges from Port Darwin to the south of Tasmania.

Had my specimens been gathered near to cultivation, or had they been found associated with naturalised plants, the species might have been looked