Volume IV (1988) - Flora of New Zealand Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons
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Mahonia japonica (Thunb.) DC.

*M. japonica (Thunb.) DC., Syst.  2:   22  (1821)

Arborescent shrub to c. 3 m high; stems few and with terminal crown of lvs. Lvs to c. 40 cm long, sessile, composed of 5-9 pairs of sessile (except the terminal) leaflets, the basal pair smaller and stipule-like, the terminal leaflet largest. Leaflets of main pairs 4-7.5 × 2-3.5 cm, ovate, rigidly coriaceous, with 2-5 spiny teeth on margins; apex spiny. Racemes lax and spreading, to c. 20 cm long; basal scales to 1.5 cm long, broadly ovate, membranous, dark brown. Bracts ovate, slightly < pedicels at anthesis. Perianth segments to 9 mm long, ovate, imbricate except for short outermost whorl. Stamens included, < inner perianth segments; filaments entire. Style very short. Berry 8-10 mm long, ± broadly obovoid, blue-black and pruinose.

S.: known from 2 sites only, Botanical Hill (Nelson), just north of Clarence Bridge (coastal Marlborough).

Origin uncertain, probably S. China or N. Taiwan 1983

Occasional in deciduous forest or mixed podocarp forest near the old sites of cultivation.

FL Mar-Aug.

M. japonica is fairly common in old gardens throughout N.Z. and persists for a long time without cultivation. Wild plants are presumably the result of dispersal of the fr. by birds. In recent times another Chinese sp., M. lomariifolia Takeda, has become very popular for N.Z. gardens. It is easily distinguished from M. japonica by the lvs which have 14-20 pairs of broad-lanceolate leaflets.

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