The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Pseudopanax colensoi var. colensoi

Etymology

Pseudopanax: false cure
colensoi: Named after William Colenso (7 November 1811 - 10 February 1899) who was a Cornish Christian missionary to New Zealand, and also a printer, botanist, explorer and politician.

Common Name(s)

Mountain five-finger, three finger

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Pseudopanax colensoi (Hook.f.) Philipson var. colensoi

Family

Araliaceae

Brief Description

Small much-branched tree with 5 fleshy leaflets arranged fanwise on very short stems

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Panax colensoi Hook.f., Pseudopanax colensoi (Hook.f.) Philipson, Pseudopanax colensoi var. fiordensis Wardle, Neopanax colensoi (Hook.f.) Allan, Nothopanax (Hook.f.) Seem.

Distribution

Central North Island and Coromandel Range south to Banks Peninsula (and possibly Dunedin) on South Island east coast. Apparently absent from South Island West Coast. Plants with sessile leaflets from the Fiordland-Stewart Island area are often referred to Pseudopanax colensoi var. fiordensis Wardle

Habitat

Montane to low alpine forest and scrub

Features

Us. dioecious. Small multi-branched tree to 8 m tall, branchlets fleshy brittle. Leaves alternate, leaflets (3-)5(-7), palmate, subsessile or on short petiolules. Petioles 5-20 cm long, sheathing branchlet at base and with small erect stipule. Petiolules absent or short, of terminal leaflet to 0-5-10-(15) mm long, shorter on lateral leaflets, pale green, reddish at base. Leaflets narrow-ovate to broadly elliptic-oblong, cuneately narrowing to petiolule, thinly coriaceous, coarsely serrate-dentate in upper 2/3 - 3/4, acute to obtuse; midrib obvious above and below, lateral veins obscure; darker shiny green above; teminal lamina 5-17 x 2-11 cm, lateral leaflets decreasing in size. Inflorescence a terminal umbel; c. 8 primary rays (branchlets); 10-12 secondary rays; umbellules with 5-10 flowers in each. Calyx truncate or obscurely 5-toothed; flowers c. 5 mm diam.; petals 5, cream or greenish, ovate to triangular, acute; ovary 2-loculed, each containing 1 ovules; style branches 2. Fruit fleshy, 4-6 mm diam., style branches retained on an apical disc, dark purple when ripe. Seeds 2 per fruit, shallowly wrinkled, 2.9-4.3 mm long, rounded.

Similar Taxa

Often confused with Pseudopanax arboreus, which also has 5 leaflets, from this species it can be distinguished by its shorter petiolules (leaflet stalk) and the base of the leaflet gradually narrowing to petiolule. The other varieties of Pseudopanax colensoi are distinguished their number of leaflets and distribution. The presence of a range of forms of probable hybrid arrangement at some sites can make identification difficult at times.

Flowering

October-March

Flower Colours

Cream,Green

Fruiting

October-March

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 48

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 8 Jan 2014