The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Hi team, I have a query which I would love some feedback on. Is it possible that A. pusilla mimicks both Pseudowintera colorata and P. axillaris depending on the site? My querie is such because in the last two weeks while working in the Raukumara Ranges, I have noted A.pusilla looking very similar to both species. One population was inclined to look like P. axillaris (the dominant Pseudowintera in the area) with dark green leaves and the other with the splotchy lighter coloured more yellow leaves when near P. colorata. Both groups had bright red waxy berries and were approximately 40-50 cm high.
Cheers Matt

Who knows? I have long known that Alseuosmia needs critical study w.r.t mimickry. Nevertheless I personally have not seen A. pusilla as you have described it - I hope you took photos and put a specimen in a herbarium. The whole genus needs a good going over with DNA based methodologies to sort this out, as well as how many species there are.

Edited bits of 2 relevant papers here, the 1st publ. of this mimicry that I know (their moa browsing theory was not just divaricating shrubs : Greenwood & Atkinson (1977): 'there is a strong indication that at least one species, P. colorata was as distasteful to moas as it is to ungulates. This species is mimicked in colour and leaf form to a remarkable degree by A. pusilla which is a very palatable shrub readily killed by browsing mammals.' Atkinson & Greenwood (1980): 'The mimicry of P. colorata, which is very unpalatable to ungulates, by A. pusilla, which is readily eaten by ungulates, was commented on by Greenwood and Atkinson (1977). Often the two species cannot be distinguished unless the undersides of the leaves are examined. ......
This mimicry has been found widely in the montane zone of both North and South
Islands although A. pusilla is not nearly as widespread as P. colorata. The species can grow together in the same forest on moderately to strongly leached soils.'

Peter and Colin, thank you for your comments. I have just returned to civilisation and have downloaded my photo's unfortunately this one here is the best I managed.
What I found interesting in the books we had as references in the field, was that the latest version of the Poole and Adams - Trees and Shrubs of NZ, suggested A. pusilla mimicked P. axillaris, where Dawson - NZ Forest suggested the mimicking of P. colorata. I have also just read in Dawson - Forest Vines to Snow Tussocks pg 104, that he had seen A. pusilla mimicking Lophomyrtus bullata. What a fantastic species!!!

I can't recall seeing A. pusilla looking as much like Psw. axillaris as that shown in your photo, Matt! The plants of A. pusilla I know (e.g. ENP, TNP, Taihape) look much more like Psw. colorata. Now I can see why Poole & Adams suggested Psw. axi. and it looks like it depends on which geographical region you're looking at. Colin