Idesia polycarpa Maxim.
wonder tree
Widespreading open tree to c. 10 m (sometimes taller in cultivation). Trunk with somewhat smooth greyish bark. Shoots dark red at first, glabrous. Petioles 5-18 cm long, red or orange-red, usually with 2 cupular, sessile glands near apex and 1-3 sessile glands towards base. Lamina 10-24 × 7-16 cm, glaucous below, glabrous except for tufts of hairs near base of 5 main veins, remotely serrate; base usually cordate, sometimes rounded; apex acuminate. Infl. yellowish tomentulose; fls appearing after lvs. Sepals of ? fls 8-10 mm long, of ? fls 5-7 mm long, ± elliptic, yellow-tomentulose on both sides. Stamens = sepals; filaments densely covered in white hairs in lower 1/2. Ovary glabrous; styles 2-3 mm long, widely divergent. Berries 7-10 mm diam., globose, orange-red or scarlet, long-persistent and eventually turning black. Seed 1.7-2 mm long, ellipsoid to obovoid; testa finely granular.
N.: Papakura (S. Auckland), occasional elsewhere in N. Auckland and Auckland; S.: occasional from Nelson to Canterbury.
China and Taiwan, Japan 1982
Forest margins and inside forest remnants in the vicinity of settlements.
FL Nov-Dec.
Wonder tree is commonly cultivated in the North Id and warmer parts of the South Id. The persistent frs are produced in abundance and occasionally spontaneous seedlings are seen in the vicinity. Isolated ♀ trees sometimes produce fr. In addition, mature trees often send up suckers at some distance from the parent.
