''Pseudopanax crassifolius'', the horoeka or lancewood, is a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

native tree belonging to the family

Araliaceae The Araliaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of about 43 genera and around 1500 species consisting of primarily woody plants and some herbaceous plants. The morphology of Araliaceae varies widely, but it is predominantly distinguisha ...

. It is found throughout New Zealand from sea level up to about 750 m. The juvenile form, which lasts for between 15 and 20 years, is very easily recognized. The leaves are stiff and leathery with a prominent central rib, about 1 cm wide and up to 1 m long with irregular teeth, all growing downwards from a central stem. The young trunk has characteristic vertical swollen ridges. As the tree gets older the stem begins to branch, producing a bushy top, and the leaves become wider and shorter, losing their teeth. It is only when the tree is mature that it adopts a typical tree shape. One of the theories about this curious change of appearance is that the young plant had to protect itself against browsing by the

moa Moa are extinct giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. The term has also come to be used for chicken in many Polynesian cultures and is found in the names of many chicken recipes, such as Kale moa and Moa Samoa. Moa or MOA may also refe ...

, the giant flightless bird that roamed New Zealand's bush in prehistoric times. Once above moa height, it was out of danger and turns into a "regular" tree. A study of leaf colour development in ''P. crassifolius'' found that leaves of seedlings would blend with leaf litter, while juvenile leaf colouration would draw attention to their spines. A closely related Chatham Island species, which evolved in the absence of moa, did not display these changes. Closely related is '' Pseudopanax ferox'', the toothed lancewood. It is similar to ''P. crassifolius'' except the leaves are more abundant and severely toothed, resembling remotely a

bandsaw A bandsaw (also written band saw) is a power saw with a long, sharp blade consisting of a continuous band of toothed metal stretched between two or more wheels to cut material. They are used principally in woodworking, metalworking, and lumb ...

blade.

References

* Salmon J T, ''The Native Trees of New Zealand'', AH & AW Reed Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand, 1973. .

External links

*''Flora of New Zealand'', UR
''Pseudopanax crassifolius''
*''New Zealand Plant Conservation Network''
''Pseudopanax crassifolius''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7255222 crassifolius Trees of New Zealand Trees of mild maritime climate