Flora of New Zealand Series

puawhananga

Robust high-climbing evergreen woody climber. Lvs glabrous above, sparsely hairy beneath, 3-foliolate, (5)-7-13-(18) × 6-12-(19) cm; leaflets coriaceous, broadly ovate to broad-oblong, cordate to truncate at base; margin entire to crenately toothed or lobed near apex, rarely deeply lobed to almost dissected; petiole (2)-3-6-(7) cm long. Fls unisexual, in compound axillary dichasial cymes. Bracts paired; lower pair often leaflike, united, usually inserted below middle of pedicel. ♂ fls: sepals 6, imbricate, white, glabrous above, hairy beneath, spathulate to obovate or oblong, 25-35-(45) × 8-15-(20) mm; anthers 1.5-2-(2.5) mm long; filaments sparsely hairy or glabrous. ♀ fls: sepals 6, similar to ♂, (16)-20-25-(35) × 7-10-(13) mm; staminodes few. Achenes hairy, 2-4 mm long. Style (2.5)-3.5-6.5 cm long at fruiting.

N.: throughout; S.: throughout; St.

Endemic.

Lowland and lower montane forests, especially forest margins.

FL Aug-Nov FT Oct-Jan.

Lvs of seedlings and juvenile forms of this sp. range from simple, narrow-linear, and up to 15 cm long, to 3-foliolate, with leaflets linear to deeply lobed. Allan (1961) noted that flowering may commence before the truly adult lf form is attained.