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  4. Pseudopanax laetus

Pseudopanax laetus

Pseudopanax laetus.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Close up, Pseudopanax laetus mature foliage, Upper Kaueranga Valley.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Pseudopanax laetus close up of inflorescence with flowers during male phase, Ex Cult. Puhoi.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Date taken: 30/09/2006, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Pseudopanax laetus close up of leaf bud and emergent foliage, Ex Cult. Puhoi.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Date taken: 30/09/2006, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Juvenile, Kauaeranga Valley (October).<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Pseudopanax laetus juvenile, October, Kauaeranga Valley.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Pseudopanax laetus, a fruiting specimen, October, Kauaeranga Valley.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Neopanax laetus in fruit.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Te Anga, Waitomo. Dec 1981.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Kaueranga Valley, Coromandel.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Date taken: 22/10/2012, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Kaueranga Valley, Coromandel.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Date taken: 22/10/2012, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Synonyms

Panax arboreus var. laetus Kirk, Nothopanax laetus (Kirk) Cheeseman, Neopanax laetus (Kirk) Philipson

Family

Araliaceae

Authority

Pseudopanax laetus (Kirk) Allan

Flora category

Vascular – Native

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

Yes

Endemic family

No

Structural class

Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons

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.

PSELAE

Chromosome number

2n = 48

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.

2018 | At Risk – Declining

Previous conservation statuses

2012 | Not Threatened

2009 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: RF

2004 | Gradual Decline

Brief description

bushy shrub with large hand-shaped leaves on red stalks

Distribution

Endemic to the northern part of the North Island from Coromandel to inland Gisborne and Taranaki.

Habitat

Montane forest.

Features

Small multi-branched tree to 5 m tall, branchlets brittle. Leaves alternate, leaflets 5-7, palmate, on short petiolules. Petiole to 25 cm long, sheathing branchlet at base, stipules present, purplish red. Petiolules stout, purplish red or leaflets subsessile. Leaflets obovate- to cuneate-oblong, thick and coriaceous, green above, paler below, margin coarsely dentate-serrate in distal half, acute or acuminate to subacute; midveins and main lateral veins obvious above and below; teminal lamina 12-25 x 5-10 cm or more, lateral leaflets smaller. Inflorescence a terminal, compound umbel, flowers sometimes subracemose on secondary rays; primary rays (branchlets) 10-15; 15-20 secondary rays. Calyx truncate or obscurely 5-toothed; petals ovate-oblong, acute. Ovary 2-loculed, each containing 1 ovules; style branches 2, spreading. Fruit fleshy, purple, c. 5 mm diam., laterally compressed, style branches retained on an apical disc. 2 Seeds per fruit, broadly-ovate or oblong, wrinkled, 3.4-4.7(-5.1) mm long.

Similar taxa

The dark red petioles and large leaflets of this species are distinctive

Flowering

(August)-September to November

Fruiting

October to February

Propagation technique

Very easy from fresh seed. Can be grown from semi-hardwood cuttings. Very fast growing and tolerant of a wide range of soil types and moisture regimes but dislikes very dry soils. Best in damp soils.

Threats

This species is highly palatable to browsing animals. Subsequently it is usually only found in cliff refugia or other similar sites inaccessible to browsing animals. Possums seriously damage plants and have been responsible for its near extinction in some parts.

Etymology

pseudopanax: False cure

laetus: From the Latin laetus ‘bright’

Where To Buy

Common in cultivation and sold by most plant nurseries.

Notes on taxonomy

This species was transferred back to Neopanax Allan by: Frodin, D.G.; Govaerts, R. 2003: World Checklist and Bibliography of Araliaceae, The Cromwell Press, European Union.

Attribution

Description adapted from Allan (1961), Eagle (2006), Webb and Simpson (2001).

References and further reading

Allan, H.H. 1961. Flora of NZ, Vol. I. Government Printer, Wellington, Eagle, A. 2000.

Eagel, A. 2006. Eagle’s complete trees and shrubs of NZ. Te Papa Press, Wellington

Webb, C.J. & Simpson, M.J.A. 2001. Seeds of NZ gymnosperms and dicotyledons. Manuka Press, Christchurch.

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