Pseudopanax linearis

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Pseudopanax linearis
Pseudopanax linearis adult.jpg
An adult Pseudopanax linearis in Arthur's Pass National Park.
Status NZTCS NT.svg
Not Threatened (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Araliaceae
Genus: Pseudopanax
Species:
P. linearis
Binomial name
Pseudopanax linearis
(Hook.f.) K.Koch
Synonyms [2]
  • Panax linearis(Hook.f.)
  • Nothopanax linearis(Hook.f.) Harms

Pseudopanax linearis, also known as mountain lancewood, [3] is a species of heteroblastic shrub or small tree from the family Araliaceae, endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. [2] Within the South Island, it is found in subalpine scrub and high-altitude forest environments relatively west of the Southern Alps. [2] [4]

Contents

This species typically grows to be 3 metres (9.8 feet) tall and appears with long, narrow, and slightly serrated green or brown leaves. [2] [5] Juvenile leaves are longer than adult leaves and have a more prominent serrated margin. [5] In summer, the adult plant produces small yellow-green flowers, which are followed by small purple fruit.

It is known to have interactions like pollination and predation with birds, insects, and mammals. [6] [7]

Pseudopanax linearis is closely related and morphologically similar to two other lancewood species, Pseudopanax crassifolius and Pseudopanax ferox , [8] but is physically distinct in that it is smaller in size, leaves are shorter in all growth stages, and juvenile leaves extend horizontally or upwards from the stem rather than downwards. [5] [9] The transition between a juvenile and adult growth form is also much less notable in P. linearis than in the other lancewoods as well. [8]

Description

Juvenile leaves of Pseudopanax linearis Pseudopanax linearis.jpg
Juvenile leaves of Pseudopanax linearis
Adult leaves of Pseudopanax linearis Pseudopanax linearis adult leaves.jpg
Adult leaves of Pseudopanax linearis

Pseudopanax linearis is a heteroblastic shrub or small tree. [5] It typically grows to be 3 m (9.8 ft) tall (but can reach up to 5–7 m (16–23 ft) tall), with a trunk 15 cm (5.9 in) in diameter. [2] [5] Being heteroblastic, it transitions between juvenile and adult leaf forms depending on its height, which is said to be around 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) above ground. [6]

Juvenile leaves are very thick, narrow, and linear in shape, being 15–25 cm (5.9–9.8 in) long and 0.5–1 cm (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) wide, and grow on a short and thick petiole. [2] The upper side of the leaf is a dark green or brown colour, while the underside is a pale to dark brown colour. [5] They feature a crenate-serrate toothed leaf margin and a strongly raised pale-pink midrib, which is 1–1.5 mm wide. [2] [5] Juvenile leaves are ascending, growing horizontally or upwards. [2]

Adult leaves are shorter and slightly wider than juvenile leaves, being 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long and 0.75–1 cm (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) wide. [2] They are still thick but more linear-lanceolate in shape with a rounded obtuse or pointed acute leaf tip. [2] The adult leaves also grow on thick petioles, 5 mm long, but have a slightly less prominent toothed or smooth leaf margin. [2] [5] Leaves are simple and alternate, [6] with adult leaves tending to crowd at the tips of the branchlets. [10]

It produces flowers in small, compound, terminal (or sometimes axillary) umbels. [2] [3] They are attached to short peduncles or directly to the plant's stem. [10] Individual flowers are small, 5 mm in diameter, and a pale yellow-green colour. [3] The male flower has five stamens and five petals. [10] The female flower has a 3–5-celled connate (joined at base) style that has backwards-curving tips, a 3–5-loculed ovary, and no petals. [3] [10]

Fruits are purple when ripe and an oblong to ovate shape, around 5 mm long. [2] It has 3–5 locules. [2] [10]

The bark of P. linearis is smooth and a pale grey colour. [6] A juvenile Pseudopanax linearis is slender and unbranched, [11] while an adult has a small crown with few, spreading branches. [2] [6]

Range

Natural global range

Pseudopanax linearis is endemic to New Zealand. [2]

New Zealand range

Pseudopanax linearis is found in the South Island of New Zealand. [2] It is found mostly on the western divide of the South Island, generally west of the Southern Alps from north-west Nelson to Southland. [2] [5] [10]

Habitat

Pseudopanax linearis is found in subalpine scrub to montane, high-altitude forests [2] [8] in damper regions of the South Island [12] as a canopy or subcanopy species. [13] [14] It is generally known as a "high-altitude equivalent of the lancewoods," [11] hence the common name, mountain lancewood. [3] It has been noted to commonly associate with silver beech. [11] It has also been found to grow on imperfectly drained soils and gley podzol soils [11] (podzols being associated with high rainfall). [15]

Ecology

Pseudopanax linearis flowers in December Pseudopanax linearis flowers.jpg
Pseudopanax linearis flowers in December

Phenology and reproduction

Flowering occurs in summer (around January). [9] [16] The plant's flowers are pollinated by insects and its seeds are dispersed by birds. [6]

Predators, parasites, and diseases

Birds are known to eat the fruits of P. linearis. [6]

Pollination occurs because insects like the western honey bee [16] collect pollen and nectar from the plant's flowers. [6] The scale insect Ctenochiton viridis uses P. linearis as a host. [17] [18]

Mammals that have been introduced to New Zealand will predate P. linearis. Pseudopanax linearis is predated by deer, which often browse on the tip of the plant's stem. [7] [19] [20] This browsing can deform the plant's stem, which negatively impacts the growth of P. linearis. [7] The Himalayan tahr is also recorded to predate this species. [21]

References

  1. ↑ de Lange, P. J; Rolfe, J. R; Barkla, J. W; Courtney, S; Champion, P. D; Perrie, L. R; Beadel, S. M; Ford, K; Breitwieser, I; Schönberger, I; Hindmarsh-Walls, R (2018). Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. OCLC   1041649797.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Allan, H. H. (1982). Flora of New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Government printer.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Te Papa Press. ISBN   9780909010089.
  4. ↑ Poole, A. M.; Adams, N. M. (1980). Trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: DSIR Publishing.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dawson, John; Lucas, Rob (2019). New Zealand's native trees (Revised ed.). Nelson, New Zealand: Potton & Burton. ISBN   9780947503987.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dawson, John; Lucas, Rob (2012). Field guide to New Zealand's native trees. Nelson, New Zealand: Craig Potton. ISBN   9781877517822.
  7. 1 2 3 Mark, A. F.; Baylis, G. T. S. (1975). "Impact of deer on Secretary Island, Fiordland, New Zealand". New Zealand Ecological Society. 22: 19–24.
  8. 1 2 3 Perrie, L. R.; Shepherd, L. D. (2009). "Reconstructing the species phylogeny of Pseudopanax (Araliaceae), a genus of hybridising trees". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 52 (3): 774–783. Bibcode:2009MolPE..52..774P. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2009.05.030. PMID   19500681.
  9. 1 2 Dawson, J.; Lucas, R. (2000). Nature guide to the New Zealand forest. Auckland, New Zealand: Godwit. ISBN   1869620550.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kirk, Thomas (1899). The forest flora of New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Government printer.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Wardle, Peter (2002). Vegetation of New Zealand. Caldwell, N.J: Blackburn Press. ISBN   193066558X.
  12. ↑ "Pseudopanax linearis". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  13. ↑ Wiser, S. K.; Hurst, J. M. "Classification of New Zealand forest and shrubland communities based on national plot sampling on an 8-km grid" (PDF). Landcare Research. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  14. ↑ Druce, A. P.; Williams, P. A.; Heine, J. C. (1987). "Vegetation and flora of tertiary calcareous rocks in the mountains of western Nelson, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 25 (1): 41–78. Bibcode:1987NZJB...25...41D. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1987.10409956.
  15. ↑ "Podzols [Z]". soils.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  16. 1 2 Butz Huryn, Vivian M. (December 1995). "Use of native New Zealand plants by honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.): A review". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 33 (4): 497–512. Bibcode:1995NZJB...33..497B. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1995.10410621.
  17. ↑ "Ctenochiton viridis Maskell". Manaaki Whenua. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  18. ↑ Hodgson, C. J.; Henderson, R. C. (2000). "Coccidae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Coccoidea)". Fauna of New Zealand 41 (PDF). Lincoln, New Zealand: Manaaki Whenua press.
  19. ↑ Steward, G. H.; Wardle, J. A.; Burrows, L. E. (1987). "Forest understory changes after reduction in deer numbers, northern Fiordland, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 10: 35–42.
  20. ↑ Mark, A .F. (1989). "Responses of indigenous vegetation to contrasting trends in utilization by red deer in 2 southwestern New Zealand national parks". New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 12: 103–114.
  21. ↑ Forsyth, D. M.; Coomes, D. A.; Nugent, G.; Hall, G. M. J. (2002). "Diet and diet preferences of introduced ungulates (Order: Artiodactyla) in New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 29 (4): 323–343. doi:10.1080/03014223.2002.9518316.
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