Kunzea amathicola de Lange & Toelken

(Figs 35, 36, 37, 38). Growth habit Shrubs or trees up to 15 m tall; heterophyllous (bearing distinct juvenile and adult foliage types). Those with persistent juvenile foliage mostly present in exposed conditions and unstable habitats, or at the margins of adult stands, usually forming domed, spreading shrubs up to 2 × 3 m with numerous erect to ascending, often interwoven branches; those with adult foliage forming single to multi-trunked trees up to 18 × 8 m, with very broad, spreading canopies. Irrespective of growth habit, plants flowering at a young age (1–2 years old). Trunk 1(–2) in juveniles usually branched from or close to base, in adults usually devoid of branches in lower 30–50%; 0.10–0.60(–0.85) m d.b.h., initially erect but soon arching outwards; basal portion covered with firm to semi-detached, tessellated, short to long, tabular to ± irregularly tabular lengths of corky-coriaceous bark. Bark early bark chartaceous to subcoriaceous, grey or grey-brown, ± elongate, usually bearing a few transverse cracks (especially on branch flanges and decurrent leaf bases) otherwise remaining firmly attached, margins elongate sinuous, ± entire with scarcely any flaking; old bark similar though distinctly corky-coriaceous, usually tessellated, firmly attached, detaching basally with age, and peeling upwards along trunk in broad, tabular strips, margins ± entire to weakly irregular; upper surface often deeply corrugated and cracked but not peeling; margins somewhat sinuous to ± straight; early and old bark flakes firm, not crumbling in hand, snapping with ± entire margin. Branches juvenile branches numerous, erect to suberect not spreading, often interwoven; adult branches usually confined to the upper 30–50% of trunk; initially suberect, soon arching and spreading, often weakly flexuose; branchlets numerous, slender, ± quadrangular to subterete, branchlet indumentum copious, persistent; hairs silky, antrorse-appressed, usually flexuose, (0.23–)0.38(–0.50) mm long, hyaline to translucent (appearing white when young, maturing grey). Juvenile branchlets numerous, erect to suberect, often interwoven, leaves ± evenly spaced along length or, in exposed situation, crowded toward apices; adult branchlets clustered toward branch ends, weakly flexuose, with leaves ± evenly spaced along length. Vegetative buds conspicuous; at resting stage 0.8–1.0 mm diam.; scales scarious, deciduous, 0.5–0.8 mm long, amber to red-brown, broadly ovate, ovate-deltoid to rostrate; midrib prominent, strongly keeled in upper half, prolonged to short cuspidate tip, lateral veins absent, oil glands few, scattered, colourless, drying dull yellow; scale margins, keel, and keel apex copiously covered in long, white, silky hairs. Leaves sessile to shortly petiolate, well-spaced to crowded along branchlets, spreading, sub erect to patent, strongly recurved in distal 30–50%, dark glossy green above, much paler beneath with margins and abaxial midrib distinctly white-coloured due to dense hair growth. Juvenile lamina (2.4–)3.4(–5.3) × (1.2–)1.9(–2.3) mm, ovate, broadly ovate, rhomboid to obovate, adult lamina (6.0–)8.2(–12.5) × (1.8–)2.6(–3.8) mm, oblong, oblong-obovate, broadly oblanceolate to broadly lanceolate; apex of both juvenile and adult lamina obtuse, rounded to subacute, rostrate, base attenuate to narrowly attenuate; adaxial surface convex, weakly plicate, or strongly v-shaped in distal recurved portion, oil glands not evident when fresh, midrib very slightly raised near base, otherwise not evident for rest of length, basally finely covered in antrorse-appressed, silky hairs, otherwise glabrous; abaxial surface slightly to prominently concave in distal recurved portion otherwise weakly concave, finely glandular punctate, oil glands sparse 80–200, more evident when dry; midrib slightly raised for entire length, prolonged slightly at apex, densely sericeous, hairs continuing to leaf apex, hairs weakly flexuose, antrorse, subappressed, up to 0.3 mm long, hyaline to translucent, appearing as white to naked eye; lamina margin completely obscured by a dense covering of antrorse-appressed hairs aligned in a thick, up to 0.6 mm wide, white, plumose band meeting with abaxial midrib hairs at the leaf apex. Perules deciduous, rarely persistent, squamiform; scales scarious, 0.5–0.8 mm long, amber to red-brown, broadly ovate, ovate-deltoid to rostrate; midrib prominent, strongly keeled in upper half, prolonged to short cuspidate tip, lateral veins absent, oil glands few, scattered, colourless, drying dull yellow, scale margins, keel, and keel apex copiously covered in long, white, silky hairs. Inflorescence Usually a well-spaced, elongate, (5–)12(–20)-flowered botryum up to 200 mm long, in adverse conditions sometimes becoming a condensed raceme 30–60 mm long, with the flowers shortly spaced and overlapping; in non-stressed conditions the terminal portion of the inflorescence comprising an indeterminate length of vegetative growth and sometimes a few undeveloped flowers. Inflorescence axis densely invested with silky, antrorse-appressed, weakly flexuose hairs. Pherophylls persistent, foliose, spreading, dark glossy green, oblong, oblong-obovate, broadly obovate to elliptic; strongly recurved, to about half of total length or flat; juvenile lamina (2.0–)3.4(–5.3) × (1.2–)1.9(–2.3) mm, adult lamina (4.1–)5.4(–6.0) × (1.6–)2.3(–3.1) mm; apex obtuse, cuspidate, base attenuate; adaxial surface usually convex to weakly plicate, oil glands not evident when fresh or dry, midrib slightly raised near base, otherwise not evident for rest of length, basally covered in a dense weft of antrorse-appressed, silky hairs; abaxial surface flat or weakly convex, glandular punctate, oil glands 20–40, more evident when dry; midrib raised for most of length, densely covered in antrorse-appressed, sericeous hairs to apex, lamina margin obscured by dense covering of antrorse-appressed hairs. Pedicels (1.3–)3.4(–4.9) mm long at anthesis, usually elongating slightly after anthesis, terete, sparsely to densely invested in antrorse-appressed, weakly flexuose, silky hairs. Flower buds pyriform to hemispherical, apex usually flat or weakly domed prior to bud burst; calyx valves not meeting. Fresh flowers when fully expanded (6.8–)11.6(–12.5) mm diam., usually reducing in size toward end of flowering season. Hypanthium (1.9–)2.8(–4.0) × (3.0–)4.0(–5.6) mm, with free portion 0.7–1.3 mm long, dark green or red-green, drying green-brown or red-brown; broadly obconic, turbinate to hemispherical, terminating in dark-green to red-green coriaceous rim bearing five persistent suberect to spreading calyx lobes; fresh hypanthium surface faintly ribbed and sparingly dotted with pink or colourless oil glands, these drying dull yellow, ribs and veins usually densely covered in silky, antrorse-appressed hairs, sometimes glabrous; dry hypanthium surface similar though with the ribs more strongly defined, clearly leading up to calyx lobes. Calyx lobes 5(–8), suberect to spreading, coriaceous, (0.6–)1.2(–1.4) × (0.6–)1.0(–1.8) mm, persistent, ovate, ovate-truncate to broadly obtuse, pale green to red-green, weakly to strong keeled, external face of keel usually obscured by a broad band of antrorse-appressed, silky, white hairs, otherwise glabrous; margins white, pale green often flushed pink, surface somewhat sparsely glandular punctate, oil glands ± colourless when fresh drying dull yellow, otherwise (aside from keel) glabrescent. Receptacle green at anthesis, consistently darkening to crimson after fertilisation. Petals 5(–8), (1.8–)2.6(–3.7) × (2.0–)2.7(–4.0) mm, white (often drying butter yellow), spreading, orbicular to broadly ovate, apex rounded, margins ± finely and irregularly denticulate or crimped 1–6 or more times, oil glands colourless, drying opaque. Stamens 38–60(–90) in 2(–3) weakly defined whorls, arising from receptacular rim, filaments white. Antipetalous stamens 3–5(–6) sometimes petaloid, antisepalous stamens (5–)8(–10). Outermost antipetalous stamens usually outcurved, sometimes weakly incurved or in mixtures of both on filaments 1.5–2.4 mm long, inner stamens usually at the base of the outermost antipetalous pair (0.6–)0.8–1.2 mm long, weakly incurved. Antisepalous stamens mostly shorter than outermost antipetalous stamens, sometimes of comparable length, generally 0.6–1.2 mm long, weakly to strongly incurved, very rarely a few outcurved. Anthers dorsifixed, 0.40–0.60 × 0.20–0.35 mm, ellipsoid, ovoid-ellipsoid or broadly scutiform, latrorse. Pollen white (9.9–)14.8(–18.9) μm. Anther connective gland prominent, deep golden-yellow to orange when fresh, drying orange to pink, spheroidal, rather finely papillate, sometimes absent. Ovary 5(–6) locular, each with 23–28(–42) ovules in two rows on each placental lobe. Style 2.0–2.5(–3.2) mm long at anthesis, elongating slightly after anthesis, white or pinkish-white; stigma broadly capitate, at least 1.5× width of style, flat, greenish-white or pale pink, flushing red after anthesis, surface finely granular-papillate. Fruits long persistent, (2.4–)3.9(–4.8) × (3.6–)4.8(–6.0) mm, initially dark green to chesnut-brown fading with age to grey, broadly obconic, turbinate or hemispherical, rarely broadly cupular; veins and ribs conspicuous on drying, these finely hairy to glabrescent, hairs antrorse-appressed; calyx valves incurved, splits concealed by dried, erect, free portion of hypanthium. Seeds 1.2–1.5(–1.7) × 0.3–0.4(–0.6) mm, testa semi-glossy, orange-brown to dark brown, oblong, oblong-obovate, narrowly ellipsoid to cylindrical, ± curved near apex, laterally compressed, 2–3-angled with convex to flattened faces, apex rounded to subacute; base oblique, ± flattened. Surface coarsely reticulate. FL: (Jul–)Nov–Jan(–Jun). FT: (Aug–)Nov–Jan(–Jun). Chromosome Number n = 11II, 2n = 22 (see de Lange and Murray 2004).

(Fig. 39). Endemic, New Zealand, North and South Islands (sea level – 320 m a.s.l.). In the North Island Kunzea amathicola is found mainly in the west, locally from Unuwhao Bush, Te Paki, south to Wellington City. In the South Island Kunzea amathicola is common in north-west Nelson from Farewell Spit to the Whanganui Inlet, and along the tidal reaches of the Aorere River. South of there it is confined to the Kaihoka–Kahurangi coastline. Kunzea amathicola has also been collected along the eastern side of the Kaipara Harbour where it extends up the main river valleys a considerable distance. This species has also been collected once from Kawau Island (L. Esler s.n., AK 215754) and, from a tidal creek on the Hauraki Plains near Waitakaruru (e.g., R. Mason s.n., CHR 112646).

Kunzea amathicola, also known by the Maori names manuka and rawiritoa, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It is a densely-branched, densely-foliaged large shrub or tree with sprays of large white flowers with a red centre.