oblong- or obovate-lanceolate, acuminate, thin and membranous finely and sharply serrate, in young plants often irregularly lobulate or pinnatifid Panicles axillary or from the branches below the leaves, 8–12 in. long; branches numerous, long, spreading at right angles Flowers small, greenish, ¼–⅓ in. diam., in 4–8-flowered umbels arranged in a racemose manner along the branches of the panicle; peduncles ½ in. long; pedicels ¼ in. Fruit globose, 110–18 in. diam., juicy, grooved when dry.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 103; Kirk, Students Fl. 220. S. Cunninghamii, Miq. in Linnæa xviii. (1844) 89. Aralia Schefflera, Spreng. Pl. Pugill. i. 28; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 283; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 513; Raoul, Choix, 46; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i 95, t. 22.
North and South Islands: Abundant in woods from the North Cape to Stewart Island, ascending to nearly 3000ft. Pate; Patete. February–March.
6. PSEUDOPANAX, C. Koch.
Glabrous shrubs or small trees. Leaves extremely variable, simple or digitately compound, those of young plants often widely different from those of mature trees; leaflets coriaceous, entire or more or less toothed or serrate. Flowers diœcious, in racemose or paniculate umbels. Calyx-limb entire or toothed. Petals 5, valvate. Stamens 5; anthers ovate or oblong. Ovary 5-celled; styles the same number, very short, connate into a short cone or column. Fruit fleshy, subglobose, ribbed when dry, 5-ceIled; seeds 1 in each cell.
As characterized above, the genus contains 6 species, all confined to New Zealand. It is mainly distinguished from Panax by the 5-celled ovary and 5 styles the latter being very short and connate into a minute cone or column. It would form a much more natural group if it were limited to P. crassifolium, P. ferox, and P. chathanicum, together with Panax lineare, which in several respects is closely allied to P. crassifolium, and which occasionally has a 5-celled ovary.
| * Leaves of young plants not markedly different from those of old ones. | |
| Bronzy or yellow-green. Leaves 3–5-foliolate; leaflets sharply toothed, veined | 1. P. discolor. |
| Dark-green. Leaves 3–5-foliolate; leaflets entire or sinuate-serrate, veins obscure. | 2. P. Lessonii. |
| Dark-green. Leaves mostly 1-foliolate, with a few 3-foliolate ones intermixed | 3. P. Gilliesii. |
| ** Leaves of young plants altogether different from those of old ones. | |
| Leaves of young trees deflexed, with short distant teeth. Fruit small, 15 in. diam. | 4. P. crassifolium. |
| Leaves of young trees deflexed, with broad lobulate hooked teeth. Fruit large, oblong, ⅓ in. long | 5. P. ferox. |
| Leaves of young trees never deflexed. Fruit large, globose, ⅓ in. diam. | 6. P. chathamicum. |
1. P. discolor, Cheesem.—A much-branched shrub 6–15 ft. high. Leaves bronzy or yellow-green, 3–5-foliolate, often with 1-foliolate leaves intermixed; petioles slender, 1–3 in. long; leaflets 1½–3 in.
