Pseudopanax chathamicus
Common names
hoho, Chatham Island lancewood
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Small tree with long narrow thick and fleshy leaves found only on the Chatham Islands
Detailed description
Small tree to 7(-12) m tall, lower trunk us. unbranched, branchlets fleshy. Leaves alternate, leaflets absent, ascending-spreading (not deflexed in young plants). Petioles c. 15-20 cm long, sheathing branchlet at base. Leaves of juvenile 5-15 cm long, lanceolate to oblong, cuneately narrowed to short petiole, acute to subacute, coarsely serrate in upper part only; leaves of young adult thicker, subcoraiaceous, 15-30 x 3-3.5 cm, variable in shape on same plant, oblong to elliptic- to obovate-oblong, distinctly apiculate, margins serrate to sinuate to nearly entire; adult leaves similar but shorter (10-15 cm long), thicker, margins smoother, and on petiole 10-20 mm long, midrib prominent, veins evident. Inflorescence an umbel, terminal, compound; staminate (male) with 5-10 primary rays, c. 5 cm long, flowers racemosely arranged; pistillate (female) with shorter primary rays, umbellules 2-5 (or more) flowered. Ovary 5-loculed, 5-ovuled, style branches connate. Fruit fleshy, broad-oblong, 6-5 mm diam., rounded style branches retained on an apical disc, very dark purple. Seeds 5 per fruit (often only 1 or 2 viable), grooved on lateral face, 4-6(-7) mm long.
Distribution
Endemic. Chatham Islands only.
Habitat
A tree species found in most Chatham Island forests, more common in coastal forest where the soil is moist for much of the year. Hoho often occurs in gullies or on gentle slopes, with karamu and matipo.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – these interim threat classification statuses has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: IE
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Araliaceae
Synonyms
Pseudopanax chathamicum (nom. illegit.)
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Ecology
Flowering
October - May
Fruiting
November - September
Propagation technique
Easy from fresh seed. Can be grown from semi-hardwood cuttings, though these can be slow to strike. An excellent small tree, which prefers full sun, and should be planted in a deep, damp, fertile soil
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FACU: Facultative Upland
Occasionally is a hydrophyte but usually occurs in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Notes on orthography
The name Pseudopanax chathamicum (nom. illegit.) provided in the Flora NZ Vol. 1 (Allan 1961) has the incorrect gender suffix.
Etymology
pseudopanax: False cure
chathamicus: From the Chathams
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
PSECHA
Chromosome number
2n = 48
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: IE
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: IE
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: IE
2004 | Range Restricted
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961. Flora of NZ, Vol. I. Government Printer, Wellington.
Webb, C.J. & Simpson, M.J.A. 2001. Seeds of NZ gymnosperms and dicotyledons. Manuka Press, Christchurch.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Peter J. de Lange 28 May 2004. Description adapted from Allan (1961) and Webb & Simpson (2001).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Pseudopanax chathamicus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/pseudopanax-chathamicus/ (Date website was queried)