. Plants of New Zealand. eduction of cleistogamic flowershas been carried further even than in V. filicaulis. In theformer species there is no trace of petals, and the stamensare much more rudimentary. Only two are provided withanthers, and these, enclosed in their hoods, are closely appliedto the stigmatic surface. Genus Melicytus. Small trees, with regular flowers and alternate leaves. Fruit a berrj,containing angular seeds. Found only in New Zealand and Norfolk Island.(Name from the Greek, signifying honey and a cavity, in reference to the smallscales behind the anthers, at first mistaken f
. Plants of New Zealand. eduction of cleistogamic flowershas been carried further even than in V. filicaulis. In theformer species there is no trace of petals, and the stamensare much more rudimentary. Only two are provided withanthers, and these, enclosed in their hoods, are closely appliedto the stigmatic surface. Genus Melicytus. Small trees, with regular flowers and alternate leaves. Fruit a berrj,containing angular seeds. Found only in New Zealand and Norfolk Island.(Name from the Greek, signifying honey and a cavity, in reference to the smallscales behind the anthers, at first mistaken for nectaries). 4 sp. Melicytus ramiflopus {TJw Branch-flowered Melicytus).A tree, sometimes 30 ft. in height, with white stems and greenish-yellowilowers. The latter are produced in fascicles upon the branches below the leaves,and are minute, being only ^ in. in diameter. Leaves oblong, serrate. Berryviolet-coloured. Both islands. Fl. , Maori names Mahoe, Ini-ini. ?Trans., Vol. XI. p. 415. THE VIOLET FAMILY 265. Fig. 82. Melicytus raiuirtonis li iiat. size). 266 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND A small tree, most abundant in the bush, growing to aheight of 30 ft., with a rounded head, and many short, brittlebranches. It sends up a large number of young saplings, orsuckers, from the ground at the foot of the trunk. The leavesare alternate, with toothed margins, and the flowers areproduced, either in the axils of the leaves, or upon the barebranches. The male and female flowers are found uponseparate trees. The fruit is a violet coloured berry, containingblack, angular seeds, and is a favourite food of the wild so much smaller than many of the forest trees, themahoe is a noticeable object in the bush, as its straight, thintrunks are often covered with a white fungoid growth, whichis like a coating of whitewash. This was one of the woodsused by the natives, in the making of fire by friction. In theSouth the plant is generally known as the Tni-Ini, in theNorth it is call
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectplants, bookyear1906
