Flora of New Zealand Series

rice-paper plant

Shrub to small tree up to 3-(8) m high. Stems densely clothed in stellate hairs, becoming glabrous at least in patches when mature; lf scars prominent. Lvs densely clothed in stellate hairs below, moderately to densely clothed in stellate hairs above when young but usually becoming ± glabrous above except on veins when mature, broadly ovate to suborbicular, cordate, (3)-5-12- palmately-lobed to ⅓-⅔ of radius, c. 10-30 cm long; lobes acute to acuminate, entire to coarsely serrate; petioles glabrous when mature, 10-50 cm long; stipules partly adnate to petiole, lanceolate, 2-12 cm long. Infl. a compound terminal raceme of numerous-flowered, globose umbels, densely clothed in stellate hairs; petals white, c. 2 mm long. Fr. not seen.

N.: Waimate North (Northland), Auckland City, Thames, Opotiki District, New Plymouth, Hutt Valley; S.: Barrytown (Westland).

S. China, Formosa 1958

Waste places, scrubland, pasture, gardens.

T. papyriferus has escaped from cultivation and is well established in some areas. The pith is used in China to make rice-paper. The sp. has sometimes been recorded in N.Z. as Fatsia papyrifera.