The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Ascarina lucida var. lanceolata

Etymology

lucida: shining
lanceolata: Lance-shaped

Common Name(s)

Kermadec Islands Hutu

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

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 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Not Threatened

Qualifiers

2012 - IE, OL
2009 - IE, OL

Authority

Ascarina lucida var. lanceolata (Hook.f.) Allan

Family

Chloranthaceae

Brief Description

Small bushy tree of upland Kermadec Islands. Leaves narrow and tapering to a narrow tip and with coarse black-tipped teeth on margins. Flowers in clusters of spikes. Fruit small, white.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

ASCLVL

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Ascarina lanceolata Hook.f.

Distribution

Endemic. Kermadec Islands, Raoul Island only.

Habitat

One of the characteristic trees of the wet forests of Raoul Island which are mostly found above 245m. However, in the ravines this tree may extend down to almost sea level. In the wet forest it is mostly a subcanopy tree which co-associates with Coprosma acutifolia, Pseudopanax kermadecensis, Melicytus aff. ramiflorus and on occasion Boehmeria australis subsp. dealbata. Occasionally, such as on the ridge lines and crater rim it may form part of the forest canopy.

Features

Glabrous gynodioecious tree up to 15 m tall. Trunk up to 500 mm diameter. Bark greyish-white. Branchlets slender, striate, initially pale green maturing dark green to emerald green. Interpetiolar stipules conspicuous, comprising 3 1.2-2.6 mm long pale pink to red, filaments; these connate near base, behind which are 3-6 smaller hyaline filaments. Petioles up to 15-20 mm long, lamina subcoriacous, somewhat fleshy, 50-100 × 10-30 mm, green, emerald green to dark green above, paler beneath, serrations weakly pigmented, pink to pale maroon often fading into pale pink spotting, narrowly lanceolate, lanceolate, lanceolate- oblong to narrowly elliptic, acuminate to acute. Inflorescences spicate comprising female or mixed male and female spikes on separated trees; spikes congested, oppositely arranged, solitary or rather closely branched up to 5 times, branches up to 30 mm long. Flowers alternate, sessile, subtended by 4 green, 0.8-1.0 mm long, entire, deltoid to broadly ovate, acute bracts (apex pink or doted with pink). Male flowers with one anther 2.0-3.0 mm long. Female flower smaller, solitary or 2-3 together located between anther and stem; stigma broad, sessile, ovary sessile. Fruit 3.0-2.0 mm long, broadly ovoid, fleshy, white and maroon-blotched or maroon-striped, subcylindric drupe.

Similar Taxa

Ascarina lucida var. lucida of the North and South Islands is New Zealand is clearly related. It differs from A. lucida var. lanceolata by the dark purple stems; by the 3 simple, conspicuous, reddish-purple filamentous stipules which lack fused bases; smaller, yellow-green leaves with purple-black or dark maroon pigmented serrations; more openly branched inflorescences with less congested flowers, and white drupes. Ascarina lucida var. lucida seems to be monoecious while A. lucida var. lanceolata appears to be gynodioecious - but this aspect needs further study.

Flowering

July - December

Flower Colours

Green,Red / Pink

Fruiting

January - August

Propagation Technique

Easy from cuttings and fresh seed but rather cold sensitive. In ideal conditions, and given time this variety can form a very large, spreading tree.

Threats

Naturally Uncommon. A locally abundant tree of the wetter forest and ravine vegetaton on Raoul. It is listed only because of its natural geographic restriction to a single island.

Chromosome No.

2n = 26

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

 

 

 

     

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 January 2010. Description by P.J. de Lange based on cultivated plants, herbarium and fresh specimens.

This page last updated on 6 Dec 2014