Flora of New Zealand Series

Taiwan cherry

Deciduous, small, spreading tree, 3-8 m high when mature (narrow in outline with ± erect branches when young), not armed; trunk short. Lf petiole 12-20 mm long, glabrous; blade thin, obovate to broadly elliptic, (50)-60-130-(170) × 20-60-(90) mm, cuspidate, rounded or occasionally obtuse at base, with both surfaces glabrous with major veins obvious, serrulate with teeth acute; stipules short, triangular, laciniate, deciduous. Fls in umbel-like clusters of (1)-2-3-(5), on very short shoots which elongate after anthesis, not fragrant, pendent; pedicels (8)-12-25 mm long, glabrous. Hypanthium narrowly campanulate; sepals triangular, 3-6 mm long, acute, magenta to dark deep red, glabrous, shining, at first erect but becoming spreading or reflexed. Petals 5, (5)-6-12 mm diam., the lower parts remaining semi-erect and corolla appearing ± campanulate; upper portion eventually spreading, ± broadly elliptic-ovate to orbicular, narrowly emarginate, deep pink to rose-magenta. Stamens slightly < to just > corolla; filaments flushed magenta to crimson. Fr. up to 12 × 10 mm, ovoid, ellipsoid or ovoid-oblong, glabrous, glossy scarlet; stone smooth.

N.: N. Auckland (Whangarei Harbour), S. Auckland (Tauranga).

E. Asia 1988

Hillsides, under trees and in scrub.

FL Jul-Sep.

P. campanulata, sometimes known as Formosan cherry, is readily distinguished from other naturalised Prunus in N.Z. by its deep rosy, narrowly campanulate fls with a narrow hypanthium and the lower part of the corolla almost simulating a tube. Young plants sometimes retain an almost Lombardy poplar-like habit for some years before becoming spreading. At the one locality where it is fully naturalised, it is common on uncultivated sites where there is a fair degree of light. Elsewhere in warmer parts of N.Z. seedlings and saplings sometimes appear spontaneously in and near gardens at some distance from the parent trees. Presumably, birds distribute the frs.