Zieria
(named after John Zier, a Polish botanist, who was a friend of Smith, the nomenclator). Australian Turmeric-tree. ORD. Rutaceae. A genus comprising half-a-score species of greenhouse, glabrous, hirsute, or tomentose shrubs or small trees, endemic in Australia. Flowers white, usually small, axillary, in small, trichotomous cymes, or rarely solitary; calyx four-cleft; petals four, imbricated or almost valvate in bud, spreading; stamens four. Leaves usually opposite, with three leaflets, rarely alternate or simple. A selection of the introduced species is here given. They thrive in a mixture of sandy loam and peat, and flower at midsummer. Young cuttings root readily in sand, under a glass.
Z. arborescens (tree-like). A synonym of Z. Smithii macrophylla. Z. hirsuta (hirsute). A synonym of Z. pilosa.
Z. laevigata (smooth). fl., petals three times as long as the calyx; cymes few-flowered, about as long as the leaves. l., leaflets three on a common petiole, linear, pointed, 1/2in. to 1in. long, the margins closely revolute. h. 1 1/2ft. 1822. A glabrous, erect shrub. (B. iv. 185; P. M. B. ix. 77.) Z. lanceolata (lance-leaved). A synonym of Z. Smithii. Z. macrophylla (large-leaved). A form of Z. Smithii. Z. obcordata (obcordate). fl. one to three in the axils, very small, on short, slender pedicels. l., leaflets three, on a very short common petiole, obovate or obcordate, two to four, or rarely six lines long, softly pubescent or tomentose above, more hirsute or velvety and whitish beneath, the margins recurved or revolute. 1824. A shrub of low growth.
Z. pilosa (pilose). fl. small, solitary, and nearly sessile, or two or three together on short pedicels. l., leaflets three, on a short common petiole, linear, oblong, or lanceolate, obtuse, 1/2in. to 3/4in., or rarely 1in. long, slightly pubescent or glabrous above, more or less hirsute or tomentose beneath, the margins recurved or revolute. h. 4ft. 1822. A shrub or under-shrub, with densely pubescent or hirsute branches. SYN. Z. hirsuta. Z. Smithii (Smith's).* Sandfly Bush; Tasmanian Stinkwood. fl. usually about 1/4in. in diameter, in axillary, bi-or trichotomous cymes, shorter than the leaves. l., leaflets three, with a distinct common petiole, lanceolate, or the larger ones oblong, elliptic, acute or rarely obtuse, 1in. to 2in. long, flat, or the margins slightly recurved. 1808. A tall shrub or small tree, glabrous or slightly pubescent. (A. B. R. 606; B. M. 1395.) SYN. Z. lanceolata (L. B. C. 878).
Z. S. macrophylla (large-leaved). fl. larger than in the type. l., leaflets often 3in. long. A more arborescent form. SYNS. Z. arborescens, Z. macrophylla (B. M. 4451).