Flora of New Zealand Series

evergreen buckthorn

Evergreen shrub to c. 5 m high, often < 1 m in exposed sites. Shoots angular, hairy, usually purple when young. Stipules subulate. Petiole 3-11 mm long, hairy, at least on upper side. Lamina 1.5-6 × 1-3 cm (sometimes smaller on flowering shoots), elliptic or elliptic-obovate, coriaceous, glossy above, becoming glabrous except for base of midrib below, entire to crenate-serrulate; base cuneate; apex acute or mucronate. Fls green, fragrant, usually in hairy bracteate racemes, sometimes infl. racemose-paniculate. Calyx lobes 4-(5), < tube, 1.7-2 mm long, reflexed, usually red-margined. Petals 0. Stamens 1-1.7 mm long. Drupe (4)-5-7 mm long, broad-obovoid, dark glossy red, becoming black.

N.: Auckland and Hauraki Gulf areas, particularly coastal localities (including offshore islands), less common S. to Wellington; S.: Marlborough and Canterbury, at least as far S. as Banks Peninsula and C. Canterbury, Warrington Beach (Otago).

Mediterranean region 1940

Mainly in scrub, around forest margins and plantations, becoming a serious weed in some northern localities such as Rangitoto Id.

FL May-Nov.

An infl. and ♂ fl. of evergreen buckthorn are illustrated in Fig. 96. The sp. is widely grown in N.Z. parks and gardens, usually as cv. 'Argenteo-Variegata' with cream-coloured lf margins. However, such variegated plants frequently revert to a form with uniformly green lvs and only green-leaved plants have been collected wild.

Fig. 96. Rhamnus alaternus, A lf and infl., B ♂ fl. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X6Q]