Pseudopanax macintyrei
Common names
MacIntyres panax
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Small dark green shrub inhabiting limestone in the north-western South Island
Flower colours
Brown, Green
Detailed description
?Dioecious shrub or small tree up to 5 x 5 m, crown broad, spreading, branches numerous arising from rootstock or from small, stout trunk up 0.3 m d.b.h.; branches initially ascending but soon spreading, sparingly branched toward main branch apices. Bark initially purplish-brown, fading to pale brown and maturing grey. All parts glabrous or arely glabrescent. Petioles stout 20-100 mm long, stipulately sheathing at base. Leaves 3-3(-5)-foliolate, petiolules 5-9 mm long; leaflets 30-80 x 15-25(-30) mm, dull dark green (darker above paler beneath), elliptic-oblong to ovate-oblong, narrowed to base, acute at apex, margin sharply serrated, veins indistinct above scarcely discernible below, midrib raised on both surfaces 1.5-2 mm wide. Umbels mostly terminal or near tips of subterminal branches, compound, seemingly unisexual; primary rays (3-)4-8, widely spreading, 30-60 mm long; secondary rays 6-15, 5-10 mm long, slender, umbellules 6-10-flowered, pedicels 1.5-4 mm long, slender. Staminate with slightly more rays than pistillate, dark green to brown-green, stamens 5-6, spreading; ovary 2-locular, styles 2, fused at base otherwise spreading. Fruit 3-6 mm diameter, broadly ovoid to orbicular or ellipsoid, longitudinally compressed, fleshy, purple-black when ripe.
Similar taxa
Could be confused with P. arboreus (Murray) Philipson and P. colensoi var. ternatus with which it sometimes grows. It differs from both by its restriction to calcareous substrates. From P. arboreus it differs by its much smaller stature, smaller leaves, narrower, consistently dark green, deeply serrated leaflets, fewer more gracile umbels that are more strictly terminal, fewer umbellules, smaller flowers and fruits. From P. colensoi var. ternatus it differs by its much smaller stature, much smaller leaves that are 3-5-foliolate rather than consistently 3-foliolate, narrower more deeply serrated leaflets, smaller umbels, umbellules, flowers and fruits.
Distribution
Endemic. South Island from north-west Nelson to just north of Greymouth
Habitat
Coastal to montane in shrubland and low, often successional forest overlying limestone, marble or dolomitic marble rock outcrops.
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 – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp, DPS, DPT, RR
Threats
At times a locally common component of coastal to montane karstfield, this species seems to be a naturally rather localised, usually biologically sparse western South Island endemic. There is no clear evidence that it has declined in any part of its range, and indeed because it is still poorly known it may even have a wider range than is currently recognised.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Nothopanax macintyrei Cheeseman, Neopanax macintyrei (Cheeseman) Wardle
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
Ecology
Flowering
June - September
Fruiting
August - March
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and semi-hardwood cuttings. An attractive small tree which prefers full sun, and a permanently moist, free draining, fertile soil. Enriching the soil with lime is advisable.
Other information
Etymology
pseudopanax: False cure
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.
PSEMAC
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 – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, RR, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Sparse
Referencing and citations
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange for NZPCN (1 June 2013)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Pseudopanax macintyrei Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/pseudopanax-macintyrei/ (Date website was queried)