Flora of New Zealand Series

pokeweed

Glabrous, erect, branched, semi-succulent herb to c. 1.5 m high, with abundant white raphides on stems, lvs, tepals and ovaries. Stems softly woody. Petioles stout, mostly 5-20 mm long. Lamina 10-32 × 4.5-14 cm, elliptic to ovate, somewhat granular-papillose below; base cuneate to attenuate, slightly asymmetric; apex mucronate. Racemes stout, erect, to c. 30 cm long at fruiting; peduncles and pedicels becoming crimson or rosy purple, densely granular-papillose. Fls ⚥, densely arranged. Bracts (2.5)-3-5 mm long, linear-subulate; bracteoles similar but smaller. Perianth 7-8 mm diam.; tepals accrescent, 4-5 mm long, broad- or ovate-elliptic, persistent, pink or rose, becoming crimson or rosy purple. Stamens 12-14, < perianth; filaments and anthers rose or crimson. Ovary (5)-6-8-carpellate, deep green with white raphides. Fr. 7-12 mm long when fresh, subglobose and compressed with carpels rounded dorsally, with prominent grooves when dried, black, succulent with dark reddish juice. Seed (2.9)-3-3.3 mm wide, ± reniform, shining black.

S.: Canterbury (Christchurch, Tai Tapu, Timaru).

Yunnan 1968

Gardens, local cultivation escape.

FL Nov-Apr.

P. clavigera is rarely cultivated in N.Z. Since its introduction to Britain early this century, it has often been confused with P. americana and was first recorded as that sp. in N.Z. The most obvious differences are the attractive crimson or purplish perianth and filaments of the Chinese sp., as opposed to the whitish ones of the American plant. It is not known if P. clavigera has the poisonous properties of P. americana.