Pseudopanax linearis
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Small lancewood-like higher elevation shrub with narrow thick leaves
Flower colours
Green
Detailed description
Shrub to 3 m tall; branches few; stem with scattered simple to trifid scales. Leaves alternate, leaflets single; juvenile leaves ascending, 15-25 x 0.5-1 cm, narrow-linear, subacute to retuse, obscurely sinuately crenate-serrate; midrib pale, prominent, lateral veins obscure, petiole very short, stout, not sheathing stem. Adult leaves, dark green above, contrasting with midrib, 5-10 x 0.75-1 cm, on stout non-sheathing stout petiole c. 5 mm long, linear to linear-lanceolate, acute and mucronate to obtuse, obscurely to distinctly crenate-serrate. Inflorescence a terminal or occ. axillary, compound umbel; primary rays (branchlets) 3-10; secondary rays absent; umbellules 5-10 flowered. Petals greenish, acute, spreading or reflexed; anthers on filaments < petals. Ovary 3-5-loculed, each containing 1 ovule; style branches 3-5, conate, erect, recurved at tips. Fruit fleshy, purple, broadly oblong-ovoid, 4 x 8 mm, style branches retained on an apical disc. 4(-5) Seeds per fruit, ovate, 4.0-5.5(-6.0) mm long.
Similar taxa
The small size and narrow thick leaves with obvious midvein of this species are distinctive
Distribution
Endemic. South Island, Fiordland, Southern Alps and NW Nelson
Habitat
Montane to low alpine forest in damper regions mainly west of the Main Divide
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 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Araliaceae
Synonyms
Panax linearis Hook.f.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Other information
Plant of the Month
This plant has been featured as a Plant of the Month – see Trilepidea: NZPCN newsletter for August 2013 for the full story.
Etymology
pseudopanax: False cure
linearis: Linear (leaves)
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.
PSELIN
Chromosome number
2n = 48
Previous conservation statuses
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961. Flora of NZ, Vol. I. Government Printer, Wellington
Eagle, 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.
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.