Reinstatement of Alseuosmia quercifolia (Alseuosmiaceae) from New Zealand

Alseuosmia quercifolia A. Cunn., previously treated as a hybrid (A, xquerci folia) or as an entity informally known as A. sp. "Hakarimata", is reinstat ed as a distinct species. This species occurs most commonly in lowland nati ve forests of the Waikato region (from 38 degrees S), but also occurs in sp arse populations as far north as North Cape. Although lamina morphology is somewhat variable, A. quercifolia has a set of morphological characters uni que to the species and not intermediate between formerly putative patents A . banksii and A. macrophylla. It is distinguished from A. banksii by its sl ightly larger flower, larger leaf, different petiole and lamina colour, dis tinctive pale venation of seedling leaves, and later flowering season; from A. macrophylla by its smaller flower, and by different lamina, petiole, an d stem colour; and from A. pusilla and A. turneri by its different petiole and lamina colour.