Pseudopanax laetus
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Bushy shrub with large hand-shaped leaves on red stalks
Detailed description
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 × 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 diameter, laterally compressed, style branches retained on an apical disc. Seeds 2 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
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (from Coromandel to inland Gisborne and Taranaki).
Habitat
Montane forest.
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.
- 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 – Declining | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
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.
This plant has naturalised out of its natural range in New Zealand and is weedy in parts of Southern New Zealand including Invercargill and Stewart Island. Caution should be exercised when planting it out of its natural range.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Panax arboreus var. laetus Kirk, Nothopanax laetus (Kirk) Cheeseman, Neopanax laetus (Kirk) Philipson
Taxonomic notes
This species was transferred back to Neopanax Allan by: Frodin & Govaerts (2003).
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Ecology
Flowering
(August)–September–November
Fruiting
October–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.
Other information
Cultivation
Common in cultivation and sold by most plant nurseries.
Etymology
pseudopanax: False cure
laetus: From the Latin laetus ‘bright’
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
Previous conservation statuses
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.
- 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.
2017 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: DP
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: RF
2004 | Gradual Decline
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand, Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 1085 p.
Eagle A. 2006. Eagle’s complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Te Papa Press, Wellington, NZ. 2-volume boxed set: vol. 1 pp 1–529; vol. 2: pp 532–1114.
Frodin DG, Govaerts R. 2003. World Checklist and Bibliography of Araliaceae, The Cromwell Press, European Union. 444 p.
Webb CJ, Simpson MJA. 2001. Seeds of New Zealand Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons. Manuka Press, Christchurch. 428 p.
Attribution
Description adapted from Allan (1961), Eagle (2006), Webb and 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.