Flora of New Zealand Series

japonica

Large, suckering, spiny shrub up to 3-(4) m high when mature and several m diam.; stems brownish olive, smooth, shining and glabrous when young, often forming dense thickets. Lvs distributed along length of first-year, non-flowering stems, and in fascicles on short shoots on older flowering stems; petiole 6-12 mm long, green or red-tinged, glabrous; blade obovate to elliptic, finely serrate to crenate, (30)-50-80-(100) × 20-50 mm, acute and often curled at tip, attenuate to petiole at base, glabrous, ± shining and deep green on upper surface, paler below; lvs of short shoots on flowering stems similar but smaller; stipules prominent, reniform, up to 12 × 20 mm, crenate. Fls in fascicles of (3)-4-5, 25-35 mm diam., ± sessile. Sepals fused at base; lobes broadly ovate to oblong, 3-5 mm long, green, glabrous, with hyaline ciliate margins. Petals 5, ± overlapping, suberect or spreading, broad-ovate to orbicular, 12-20 mm diam., shortly clawed; limb white to bright pink to scarlet. Stamens < petals; filaments coloured as in petals. Fr. up to 60 mm diam., ± broadly ovoid to subglobose but often misshapen, yellowish and often brown-speckled, indented at base and apex.

N.: N. Auckland (Mangamuka Hill); S.: Nelson (Little Wanganui), Christchurch.

China 1988

Woodland, scrub and wasteland adjacent to gardens and other areas of cultivation, also commonly suckering into pavements and gutters.

FL May-Nov-(Apr).

Japonica or Japanese quince is one of our commonest cultivated shrubs, but is not common as a fully naturalised plant. However, it is frequently a long-persistent, suckering relic in abandoned gardens. A number of cvs, mainly distinguished by fl. colour, are grown and wild plants can be expected to reflect this range of colour. Frs are often few but when freely produced are used for jellies like ordinary quinces.