Flora of New Zealand Series

Nepalese firethorn

Evergreen shrub up to 2-(5) m high when mature; stems very dense, spreading and spiny, often spine-tipped; very young stems greyish tomentose; older stems brown and shiny. Lf petiole 3-5 mm long, channelled above, with scattered hairs; blade narrowly oblong-obovate or narrowly oblong-elliptic, (10)-20-50-(60) × 5-12-(20) mm, usually apiculate at apex, sometimes obtuse, cuneate at base, dark green, glabrous, and ± glossy on upper surface, paler and glabrous or with scattered hairs below, serrulate along whole margin. Fls in corymbs mostly 20-40 mm across; pedicels 6-15 mm long, red, shiny, and glabrate. Sepals broad-triangular, 0.6-1.4 mm long, glabrous and shining, with a mucronulate tip. Petals broadly obovate-elliptic or suborbicular, 2.4-4 mm long, rounded, creamy white. Stamens < petals. Fr. ± depressed globose, 3-6-(7) mm wide across the top, orange-red or red, glossy.

N.: Auckland (Waikumete); S.: Christchurch (Heathcote).

Himalaya 1982

Wasteland.

FL Nov-Dec.

P. crenulata is closely related to P. coccinea Roemer; Bean, W. J., Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles 3 ed. 8 (Clarke, D. L., Ed., 1976), suggested that they are not specifically distinct. P. coccinea has hairier young shoots and young lvs, and has hairy infls. In addition, Bean (op. cit.) stated that P. crenulata has orange-yellow frs and P. coccinea red frs but the fr. colour of both spp. can vary. Likewise, lf shape can vary although P. coccinea generally has lvs which are widest towards the apex. Nepalese firethorn has been recorded as Himalaya whitethorn in N.Z.