Flora of New Zealand Series

Panax simplex Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 75.

Nothopanax simplex (Forst. f.) Seem. in J. Bot., Lond. 4, 1866, 296.

Type: P, no. 215.

Shrub or tree up to 8 m. tall, much-branched, all parts glab. Seedlings with simple ovate serrate lvs passing quickly into stage (a), succeeded by stage (b) or directly by adult stage, rarely remaining simple-lvd to adult stage. Juveniles of stage (a) with lvs 3-5-foliolate, lflts 4-15 cm. long, narrow linear-oblong to elliptic, deeply lobed to pinnatifid, lobes acute to obtuse; petioles up to 10 cm. long. Juveniles of stage (b) with lvs 3-5-foliolate, lflts 5-8 cm. long, elliptic to obovate-oblong, to lanceolate, acute or obtuse, sharply to bluntly serrate, on petioles up to 6 cm. long; sts flowering at this stage. Adults with unifoliolate lvs, with or without some trifoliolate lvs; lamina lanceolate to broad-lanceolate, to elliptic, to ovate-elliptic, to obovate-oblong, sharply serrate, acuminate to acute or obtuse, coriac., 5-10 cm. or more long, on petioles 3-8 cm. long. Umbels axillary and terminal on peduncles c. 2-3 cm. long, compound with 3 or more umbellules each 5-15-fld; terminal umbellule us. completely pistillate, lateral wholly or partly staminate. Fls small, greenish; calyx minutely 5-toothed. Ovary 2-loculed, 2-ovuled, style-branches 2, recurved; fr. c. 3-4 mm. diam., compressed.

DIST.: N., S., St., A. Lowland forests from lat. 37° southwards. Haumakaroa.

FL.- FT. (6)-10-3.

Kirk's var. quercifolium (Stud. Fl. 1899, 217) is based on specimens with unifoliolate lvs, flowering and fruiting in the lobulate stage.