Phytolacca octandra L.
inkweed
Glabrous, spreading or ± erect subshrub to c. 2 m tall, with numerous white raphides on stems and lower surface of lvs. Stems softly woody towards base, often reddish. Petioles to 2.5 cm long, moderately thick, often reddish. Lamina 4-15-(20) × 1.5-5 cm, elliptic or elliptic-ovate; base cuneate to attenuate; apex acute or mucronate. Racemes erect, to c. 7 cm long at maximum flowering, to c. 11 cm long at fruiting; peduncles and very short pedicels ± granular, becoming crimson at fruiting. Fls ⚥, dense. Bracts 3-4 mm long, linear-lanceolate to subulate; bracteoles much smaller. Perianth 5-7 mm diam.; tepals accrescent, 2-3 mm long, broad-ovate, imbricate, whitish or pale greenish at first, becoming pink to crimson at fruiting. Stamens 8-(10), slightly < perianth; anthers white. Ovary (7)-8-carpellate, green with numerous white raphides. Fr. c. 8 mm diam. when fresh, depressed globose, with 8 very shallow and often inconspicuous grooves (prominent in dried specimens), shining black, very succulent with dark red juice. Seed 2-2.5 mm diam., subglobose, glossy black.
N.: widespread and locally abundant; S.: very common in Nelson and Marlborough, rare down the West Coast at least to Hokitika, and in the east to Banks Peninsula.
Mountains of tropical S. and C. America 1867
Most abundant in cut-over scrub and forest where it can form dense stands, often in partial shade, but in moister areas commonest in more open habitats such as waste places, river beds, old pastures, neglected or abandoned fields and gardens.
FL Nov-Aug.
Poisonous (Connor 1977).
Although only 8-carpellate fls have been seen, fls with 7 carpels have been reported. Also 9-carpellate fls occur elsewhere and may be expected occasionally in N.Z.
