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Volume 35, 1902
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Art. XLII.—On some Recent Changes in the Nomenclaiure of the New Zealand Myrsinaceæ.

By L. Cockayne

[Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 26th November, 1902.]

The ninth part of Engler's “Pflanzenreich,”* containing the Myrsinaceœ by Dr. Carl Mez, Professor of Botany in the University of Halle, has recently appeared. The object of this paper is to publish for the benefit of such New Zealand botanical students as have not access to the above-mentioned most important work an account of certain changes in nomenclature which affect the New Zealand species, since “Das Pflanzenreich” will, in all probability, be the authority on plant-nomenclature for many years to come.

The natural order Myrsinaceœ, according to Mez, contains thirty-two genera, including 933 species, of which 348 are described for the first time. Of these genera, two occur in New Zealand—viz., Suttonia and Rapanea. Mez divides Suttonia into two subgenera, Eusuttonia and Rapaneopsis. Eusuttonia contains six species, if the species now known as Myrsine coxii be added, which are all confined to the New

[Footnote] * Engler, A., Das Pflanzenreich. Regni vegetabilis conspeotus 9. Heft (iv. 236). Myrsinaceæ mit 470 einzelbildern in 61 figuren. Carl Mez. Leipzig, 1902.

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Zealand biological region, if S. tenuifolia, a doubtful species from Norfolk Island, be excluded; while Rapaneopsis, containing eight species, is found only in the Sandwich Islands. As for Myrsine, the genus to which all the New Zealand Myrsinacœ are referred in the “Handbook of the New Zealand Flora,” it contains, according to Mez, only four species, which are Asiatic or African. Rapanea, the genus to which the remainder of the New Zealand Myrsinacœ are referred by Mez, contains 136 species, for the most part previously referred to Myrsine, and found in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, chiefly in the tropics. The following are the diagnoses of the genera Myrsine, Suttonia, and Rapanea, together with their synonyms, copied verbatim from “Das Pflanzenreich,” and afterwards is given a list of the New Zealand species of the Myrsinaceœ and their synonyms.

Myrsine, L.

Myrsine, L., Gen. (1737) 54 et Spec. pl. ed. 1 (1753) 196; Willd. Spec. pl. 1 (1797) 1121; Gaertn. Fruct. 1, 281; R. Br. Prodr. 1 (1810) 533 et post eum omnes sequentes pro minima parte; Endl. Gen. (1836-40) n. 4221 p. 736; Benth. and Hook. f. Gen. ii. (1876) 642; Pax in Engl. et Prantl. Pflzfam. iv. 1 (1889) 92.

Flores reductione sexus alterius dioici, 4-vel 5-meri. Sepala libera vel basi brevissime coalita, imbricata vel per anthesin saltem sæpius aperta, margine ciliata vel rarissime nuda, punctato-picta. Petala basi brevissime vel breviter vel rarissime medium usque coalita, imbricata, margine sæpius ciliata, punctata. Stamina petalis longiora vel breviora; filamentis permanifestis, longe nunc longuiscule liberis, petalis prope basin insertis sueto annulo glanduloso insidentibus; antheris paullo super basin dorsifixis, liberis, rimis binis tota longitudine introrsum dehiscentibus, apice fere constanter apiculatis. Ovarium glabrum, ovoideum vel ellipsoideum; stylo constanter manifesto nonnunquam perlongo petala superante; stigmate maximo, disciformi vel margine foliaceo-inciso. Placenta uniseriatimperpauciovulata. Fructus globosus, 1-spermus, baccatus; endocarpio crustaceo. Semen globosum, placentæ reliquiis indutum; albumine corneo, crasse ochraceo-ruminato; embryone cylindrico, transverso. Frutices nani vel altiores vel arbores foliis sparsis, sæpissime serratis vel crenatis. Inflorescentiæ laterales, axillares vel e ligno bienni provenientes, in ramulorum brevissimorum verruciformium sæpius subnullorum apice umbellatæ, paucifloræ. Flores parvi, pedicellati.

Genus his depuratum et ad species reductum a Rapanea, cui erat confusum, toto cœlo differt et Embeliæ imprimis Micrembeliæ proprius accedit.

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Suttonia, Hook. f.

Suttonia, Hook. f. (non! A. Rich.), Bot. of the Antarc. Voy. i. (1845) 49 et Fl. Nov. Zeland. i. (1853-55) 172; Pax in Engl. and Prantl. Pflzfam. iv. 1 (1889) 91.

Flores hermaphroditi vel reductione sexus alterius dioici, 4-vel 5-meri. Sepala basi breviter nunc brevissime coalita vel libera, imbricata vel aperta, margine ciliolata. Petala plane libera, valvata vel perobscure imbricata, haud unguiculata, late vel rarius angustius elliptica vel rarissime obovata, apice rotundata, ad marginem papillulosa vel ciliata, sæpius punctatim vel lineatim picta. Antheræ optime sessiles petalisque paullo minores his per anthesin recurvis vel patentibus porrectæ, birimose tota longitudine introrsum dehiscentes, apice sueto acuminulo obtusiusculo papilloso auctæ, dorsifixæ et sæpius ± alte petalis connatæ rarius liberæ. Ovarium ovoideum, glabrum; stylo nullo vel brevissimo raro manifesto; stigmate capitato sæpius morchelliformi. Placenta uniseriatim perpauci(2–4)-ovulata. Fructus (non nisi specierum sandivicensium cognitus) globosus, 1-spermus, apice mucronulatus; endocarpio crustaceo. Semen globosum, placentæ rudimentis indutum, basi intrusum; albumine corneo, lævi; embryone cylindraceo, transverso. Fruticuli nunc nani habitu myrtillaceo nunc alti vel arbores foliio sparsis, integerrimis. Inflorescentiæ laterales, e foliorum delapsorum vel vigentium axillis provenientes, umbellatæ, sæpius perpaucifloræ, e ramulis brevissimis verruciformibus vel abbreviate cylindricis squamuligeris formatæ. Flores parvi, pedicellati.

Genus Rapaneas includit dialypetalas.

Conspectus Subgenerum.

A. Flores 4-meri; folia nervo marginali omnino destituta. Species novo-zelandicæ. Subgenus I. Eusuttonia, Mez.

B. Flores 5-meri; folia nervo marginale nunc permanifestis nunc obseuro prædita. Omnes insularum Sandwich incolæ. Subgenus II. Rapaneopsis, Mez.

Rapanea, Aubl.

Rapanea, Aubl. Hist. pl. Guiane franç i. (1775) 121, t. 46; Juss. Gen. (1789) 288; Mez in Urb. Symb. antill. ii. (1901) 427. Duhamelia, Domb. (non Pers.) ap. Lam. Enc. i. (1783) 245. Manglilla, Juss. Gen. (1789) 151; Rœm et Schult. Syst. iv. (1819) p. xlvi. et 504. Caballeria, Ruiz et Pav. Prodr. (1794) 41; Willd. Spec. pl. iv. (1805) 1118. Rœmeria, Thunb. (non alior.) Nov. gen. ix. (1798) 130 et in Römer Arch. ii. 5 et Prodr. pl. capens. ii. (1800) 184 et Fl. capens. ii. 67 (e. p.). Athrophyllum,

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Lour. Fl. chochinch. i. (1790) 120 et ed. Willd. 148. Scleroxylum, Willd. in Berl. Magaz. iii. (1809) 57 et Enum. pl. hort. berol. (1809) 249. Merista, Banks and Sol. ex A. DC. Prodr. viii. (1844) 95. Suttonia, A. Rich. (non Hook. f.) Voy. Astrol. Bot. (1832) 349; Lindl. Veg. Kingd. (1847) 648. (?) Plotia, Adans. Fam. ii. (1763) 226. Myrsine, R. Br. Prodr. i. (1810) 533 et sequentium omnium pro maxima parte, nempe; H. B. K. Nov. gen. et Spec. iii. (1818) 248; A. DC. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xvii. (1834) 104 et in Ann. Sc. Nat. 2 sér. ii. (1834) 292 et xvi. (1841) 78 et in DC. Prodr. viii. (1844) 92; Lindl. Veg. Kingd. (1847) 648; Miq. in Fl. brasil. x. (1856) 306 et Fl. Ind bat. ii. (1856) 1014; Scheff. Comm. Myrs. Archip. Ind. (1867) 46; Hook. f. in Benth. and Hook. f. Gen. ii. (1876) 642; Clarke in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. India iii. (1882) 511; Pax in Engl. and Prantl. Pflzfam. iv. 1 (1889) 92; Baill. Hist. pl. xi. (1892) 333.

Flores hermaphroditi vel sæpissime reductione sexus alterius dioici, 4-vel 5- (raro numeris auctis 6–7-) meri. Sepala parva, nunc fere libera nunc basi ± alte sed rarissime ultra ⅓ longit. connata, imbricata valvatave, ovata vel triangularia semper symmetrica, margine sueto ciliolata, sæpissime punctis vel lineis glandulosis picta. Petala varie connata nunc infime brevissime coalita, nunc sæpius usque ad ⅓ connata nunc raro a medio libera, in speciebus perpaucis usque at ⅘ longit. coalita, lobis ovatis vel ellipticis per anthesin patentibus vel recurvis vel rarissime erectis, sueto lineatis vel punctatis, margine saltem sæpissime papillosis. Stamina corollæ fauci inserta filamentis omnino nullis, antheris ipsis sæpissime dorso cum petalis aliquid connatis, introrsum tota longitudine birimose dehiscentibus, apice sueto acuminulatis et hic sæpius papillulosis, ovatis vel ellipticis brevibus. Ovarium globosum vel ellipsoideum stylo in floribus ♀ constanter nullo; stigmate sessile florum ♂ varie irregulariter formato, florum ♀ secundum areas geographicas (vix tamen subgenerice efferendas) regulariter formato: asiaticis omnibus elongato farciminiformi stylum mentiente; africanis scutato margine (sæpius loboso) deflexo fungiforme; australiensibus polynesiacisque plurimis capitato indiviso; americanis conico sueto morchelliformi vel regulariter in lobos erectos diviso. Placenta uniseriatim pauciovulata. Fructus pisiformis, siccus vel carnosus, 1-spermus, endo-carpio crustaceo vel coriaceo vel lignoso. Semen globosum, læve, basi intrusum; albumine corneo haud vel raro paullo ruminato. Embryo elongatus, transversus, sæpius curvatus. Arbores vel frutices glabri vel pubescentes foliis sæpius ± manifeste lepidotulis. Folia integerrima vel rarissime (tunc sæpius spinose) dentata. Flores parvi, e ramulis quam

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maxime abbreviatis nunc deciduis minutissimis sæpius vix reperiendis nunc perennantibus crasse cylindricis vel verrucosis umbellatim (vel in speciebus perpaucis perabbreviate racemose) provenientes, bracteolati.

New Zealand Species Of Myesinaceæ.

  • 1. Suttonia Chathamica (F. Muell.), Mez. Myrsine chathamica, F. Muell! Veg. Chatham Isl. (1864) 38.

  • 2. Suttonia Novo - Zelandensis (Colenso), Mez. Myrsine neo-zelandensis, Colenso! in Trans. New Zealand Inst. xxii. (1890) 479.

  • 3. Suttonia Montana, Hook f.! Fl. Nov. Zeland. ii. (1855) 334. Myrsine montana, Hook. f.! Handb. New Zealand Fl. (1867) 184.

  • 4. Suttonia Divaricata (A. Cunn.), Hook. f.! Fl. Antarct. (1844-47) 51, t. 34, et Fl. Nov. Zeland. ii. (1853-55) 4. Myrsine divaricata, A. Cunn.! in Ann. Nat. Hist. 1, ser. ii. (1839) 47; Hook. f.! Handb. New Zealand Fl. (1867) 184. Myrsine pendula, Colenso! in Trans. New Zealand Inst. xxi. (1889) 94.

  • 5. Suttonia Nummularia, Hook. f.! Fl. Nov. Zeland. (1853-55) 173. Myrsine nummularia, Hook. f.! Handb. New Zealand Fl. (1867) 184.

  • 6. Suttonia Coxii, Cockayne.* Myrsine coxii, Cockayne in Trans. New Zealand Inst. xxxiv. (1902) 318.

  • 7. Rapanea Salicina (Heward), Mez. Myrsine salicina, Heward! in Hook. London Journ. Bot. i. (1842) 283 in nota; Hook. f. Handb. New Zealand Fl. (1867) 184. Suttonia salicina, Hook. f.! Fl. Antarc. (1844–47) 52 et Fl. Nov. Zeland. ii. (1855) 172. Suttonia saligna, Walp. Rep. vi. (1847) 450 (Sphalm.).

  • 8. Rapanea Kermadecensis (Cheeseman), Mez. Myrsine kermadecensis, Cheeseman! in Trans. New Zealand Inst. xxiv. (1892) 410.

  • 9. Rapanea Urvillei (A. DC.), Mez. Myrsine urvillei, A. DC.! in Trans. Linn. Soc. xvii. (1834) 105 et in DC. Prodr. viii. (1844) 95; A. Cunn. in Ann. Nat. Hist. (1839) 47; Hook. f. Handb. New Zeal. Fl. (1867) 184. Merista lœvigata, Banks et Sol.! ap. A. Cunn. l.c. (sed specimen alterum hoc nomine in Herb. Banks! signatum ad Rubiaceas translocandum!). Suttonia australis, A. Rich! Ess. Fl. Nouv. Zél. (1832) 349, t. 38. Myrsine richardiana, Endl. in Aun. Wien Mus. i. (1838) 171. Myrsine undulata, A. Cunn. in Ann. Nat. Hist. 1, ser. ii. (1839) 47.

[Footnote] * It will be seen that I have made use of this opportunity to place the Chatham Island species, originally referred by me to Myrsine, in the genus Suttonia, in accordance with the views of Mez.

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