''Vitex lucens'', commonly known as pūriri, is an evergreen
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...
endemic to New Zealand.
History
Pūriri was first collected (by Europeans) at
Tolaga Bay
Tolaga Bay () is both a bay and small town on the East Coast, New Zealand, East Coast of New Zealand's North Island located 45 kilometres northeast of Gisborne, New Zealand, Gisborne and 30 kilometres south of Tokomaru Bay.
The region around th ...
by
Banks and
Solander during Cook's first visit in 1769. The plant was described by Solander in his manuscript "Primitae Florae Novae Zelandiae" under the name "''Ephielis pentaphylla." A drawing was also produced as part of this manuscript.''
[Cheeseman (1914) Illustrations of the New Zealand Flora. Vol 2.] The next botanist to notice pūriri,
Allan Cunningham, did not do so until 1826 when he observed it on "the rocky shores of
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area on the east coast of the Far North District of the North Island of New Zealand. It is one of the most popular fishing, sailing and tourist destinations in the country, and has been renowned internationally for ...
, growing frequently within the range of salt water." Cunningham named it ''Vitex littoralis'', correctly assigning it to the genus ''Vitex'' but overlooking that "littoralis" had been used for a Malayan species four years earlier.
Thomas Kirk proposed ''V. lucens'' in 1897 after attention had been drawn to the fact that ''V. littoralis'' was taken.
[A.C. Dijkgraaf (1994) Propagation and timber plantation potential of puriri (Vitex lucens). MSc thesis, ]University of Auckland
The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...
.
The Māori name of this tree is or sometimes .
[G.C. Jackson (1965) Native for your garden.] 'New Zealand mahogany' and 'New Zealand teak' occur in older printed sources, especially in reference to the timber.
Description
The pūriri tree can grow up to tall, with a trunk commonly up to in diameter, frequently thicker, and a broad spreading crown.
[Muriel Fisher, E. Satchell & Janet Watkins (1985) Gardening with New Zealand plants, shrubs & trees.] The thin bark is usually smooth and light brown in colour,
[A. Eagles (1986) Trees and shrubs of New Zealand; Volume one revised.] but can also be very flaky. Pūriri was actively and selectively logged in the past to provide timber for a wide range of end uses. Only the best trees were felled, leaving the gnarled pūriri often found on farm paddocks. This has given the impression that pūriri is incapable of growing straight, but early reports of pūriri describe naturally clear boles of 15 to 30 feet (4.5 to 9 m)
[R. Taylor (1848) Names and properties of the principal New Zealand trees. New Zealand Journal 299 (From the Annals of the Diocese of New Zealand).] and there are still a few trees like that left. A good example of a well-shaped tree is behind
Ruapekapeka
The Battle of Ruapekapeka took place from late December 1845 to mid-January 1846 between British forces, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Despard, and Māori warriors of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe), led by Hōne Heke and Te Ruki Kawi ...
Pā in Northland.
The dark green glossy leaves of pūriri are
palmate
The following terms are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade is divided into two or more leaflets ...
with usually 5 leaflets, or sometimes three. The lowest two leaflets are smaller than the other three. The leaflets have domatia, little pockets where the mid vein and branching veins meet, which can house arthropods. The underside and veins are a lighter green. Seedling leaves are much more delicate and a lighter green with serrations along the edge.
Seedling pūriri can be confused with seedlings of the
kohekohe
Kohekohe (''Didymocheton spectabilis'') is a medium-sized tree in the Meliaceae family, native to New Zealand. It is found in lowland and coastal forests throughout most of the North Island and also occurs in the Marlborough Sounds in the no ...
, or ''Dysoxylum spectabile''; the most obvious difference is that pūriri leaflets originate from one point, whereas kohekohe leaflets are spread along the stalk. The branches of pūriri, especially the young ones, are square in cross-section.
Pūriri is one of the few native trees with large colourful flowers. Many plants in New Zealand have white or green flowers. The tubular flowers of the pūriri look rather like snapdragon flowers and can range from fluorescent pink to dark red, rose pink (most common) or sometimes even to a white flower with a yellow or pink blush. The bright colour, the tube shape, copious nectar production and the hairs at the base of the flower tube all point towards birds pollinating this flower (the hairs stop insects from stealing the nectar). On the New Zealand mainland there is often plenty of nectar in the flowers because there aren't enough birds to eat all the nectar produced by the tree.
The flower has 4 lobes (made of 2 petals), 4 long
stamen
The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...
(the male part of the flower) and the style grows to be as long as the stamen after the pollen has shed. It is interesting to see how the flowers open. The petals overlap each other in the bud form. The growing stamen push the petals open. When the flower is fully open the style starts growing and reaches its full length just after the anthers on the stamen have shed all the pollen. The flowers occur in loose clusters of up to 12 flowers per cluster.
Some flowers can be found on the pūriri all year round, though it does flower most heavily over winter. Ripe fruit can also be found all year round, but is more common over the summer. Pūriri is a very important tree for native birds in the top half of the
North Island
The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...
because it provides a constant year-round food supply. Flowers and fruit are carried at the tips of the branches.
The fruit or drupe is a bright red (usually) to a pale yellow (rarely, and only on white flowered trees) "cherry". It can grow as big as a cherry, but it is unpleasantly astringent. When broken, the fruit has a bright thin juice, and a faint grape smell. Pūriri fruit is not the most nutritious sort in the New Zealand bush (high in carbohydrates, not lipids, sugars or calcium), but it is always there. The nut (
endocarp
Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits.
Fruitlike structures may develop directly from the seed itself rather th ...
) inside the drupe is a very hard pear-shaped kernel
that can contain up to 4 seeds. The seedlings from one kernel can germinate at the same time or be spread over a year.
The nut has four apertures in the endocarp each guarded by an oval door and each leading to a seed chamber. The Pūriri is self-fertile with self-fertilization (
autogamy
Autogamy or self-fertilization refers to the Cell fusion, fusion of two gametes that come from one individual. Autogamy is predominantly observed in the form of self-pollination, a Reproduction, reproductive mechanism employed by many flowering pl ...
) possible. Seed production in 12 samples ranged from 8% to 45% with usually only 1 or 2 live seeds in a fruit. Low seed production is due to inefficiencies in pollination, as well as breakdown of apparently fully developed seeds. The factors controlling germination and opening of the doors are unknown, and most seed would appear to perish within the Imprisoning nut.
PuririLeaves.jpg, The lush palmate leaves of a young pūriri
PuririFlowers.jpg, Pūriri may bear flowers throughout the year
File:Vitex lucens (Puriri) flower.JPG, Pūriri flower
Puriri.jpg , Mature tree in Auckland
Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
Vitex Lucens- Pururi nuts-seeds 20170423.jpg, Pūriri nuts from a single tree vary in size and shape
Vitex Lucens- Pururi nut-seeds top 20170423.jpg, Viewed from the top of the nut (endocarp) a hole is seen formed from the four seed chambers.
Vitex Lucens- Pururi nuts hooks 20170423.jpg, The hooks on the sides of the nuts vary in number size and shape and can be difficult to break off.
Distribution
Pūriri is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to New Zealand and can be found in the upper half of the North Island from North Cape to the
Waikato
The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...
and Upper Thames, and from thence in small numbers southwards to
Māhia Peninsula (39°10′S) on the east coast and
Cape Egmont (39°27′S) on the west (rare inland south of latitude 37). Its altitudinal range is from sea-level to above sea-level. Pūriri tends to be associated with fertile or volcanic soils, and early settlers often sought out and burned pūriri rich areas to obtain good farmland.
[A.C. Dykgraaf (1992) Princely puriri. New Zealand Geographic # 13.]
As a resource and host plant

Pūriri is an invaluable food source for native wildlife, as it provides both fruit and nectar in seasons when few other species produce these so it is often used in restoration planting, such as at the Elvie McGregor Reserve between
Waipoua Forest and Katui Scenic Reserve in Northland and on
Tiritiri Matangi Island
Tiritiri Matangi Island is located in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, east of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula in the North Island and north east of Auckland. The island is an open nature reserve managed by the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi Incor ...
in the
Hauraki Gulf. It is hoped that restoration planting, with trees such as pūriri, will provide a year-round food source for birds, boosting their populations. For example, pūriri is highly valued as an aid in increasing
kererū
The kererū (''Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae''), also known as kūkupa (Māori language#Northern dialects, northern Māori dialects), New Zealand pigeon or wood pigeon, is a species of pigeon native to New Zealand. Johann Friedrich Gmelin describ ...
(native pigeon) populations. Maintaining kererū populations is particularly important for the natural restoration and maintenance of forest remnants, as this bird is the primary disperser of large-fruited species.
Pūriri is also essential as a host for several species. The
pūriri moth (or ghost moth) is New Zealand's largest and quite spectacular moth, with a potential wing span of up to . Its ten cm long
larva
A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...
e, though not restricted to pūriri, often makes its home in the tree by excavating long, seven-shaped burrows. The moths are much reduced as the great swarms "invading rooms, sufficient in number to extinguish lighted lamps" reported by early settlers no longer occur. The wide-spreading branches also provide room for epiphytic species such as ''
Astelia'',
puka, and
northern rātā.
Historical use
By Māori
Pūriri in traditional Māori medicine has been used as a rheumatic remedy for centuries. Māori used infusions from boiled leaves to bathe sprains and backache, as a remedy for ulcers, especially under the ear, and for sore throats. The infusion was also used to wash the body of the deceased to help preserve it.
Pūriri trees or groves were often through their use as burial sites and pūriri leaves were fashioned in to coronets or carried in the hand during a (funeral).
Pūriri timber is usually greenish dark-brown, but sometimes nearly black or streaked with yellow, it was often used for implements and structures requiring strength and durability. Māori preferred other timbers to pūriri as its cross-grain made for difficult carving, but pūriri garden tools and weapons had a long life and legend has it that buckshot used to ricochet off pūriri palisades. It was used in the construction of (eel traps) because it was one of the few timbers that would sink.
Pūriri was sometimes used to dye
flax
Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. In 2022, France produced 75% of t ...
fibres yellow, the sawdust can produce intense yellow stains on concrete floors.
The Pūriri provides the strongest wood in New Zealand, allowing to make things such as bridges and paddles from it.
By Europeans
European settlers used great quantities of pūriri timber for fence posts, railway sleepers, shipbuilding and house blocks, as it is ground durable without treatment for 50 years or more.
[F. Newhook (1982) Our trees: A New Zealand Guide.] This, as well as the agricultural desirability of the soil in which it grew, led to the depletion of once widely spread lowland pūriri forests,
and by the mid-1940s the supply of pūriri timber was almost exhausted.
[S.J. Record and R.W. Hess (1943) Timbers of the New World.] Pūriri was also favoured for furniture and decorative wood work such as inlay veneers, as its appearance was "quite equal to the best Italian or American walnut".
[Cheeseman (1906) Manual of the New Zealand flora.] Look at th
New Zealand Geographicarticle on Seuffert & Son to see some good examples of pūriri use in furniture. The produced timber was sometimes called "New Zealand teak",
"New Zealand oak"
or "New Zealand walnut".
The
despatch box
A despatch box (alternatively dispatch box) is one of several types of boxes used in government business. Despatch boxes primarily include both those sometimes known as Red box (government), red boxes or ministerial boxes, which are used by the ...
es of the British House of Commons are made of pūriri wood. They were a gift from New Zealand to replace the previous boxes after the Chamber was bombed in 1941, during World War Two.
Current and potential future usage
Currently small quantities of pūriri timber are available from time to time around the
greater Auckland area and
Northland, these tend to be mostly used for wood-turning or, as in the case of pūriri fence posts, be recycled as garden furniture.
The erstwhile Forest Research Institute (no
Scion recommends planting fast-growing, high-quality timber species such as pūriri as special-purpose species, particularly in view of the rising cost of importing these and the scarcity of native timber.
A special-purpose species is defined as "a species producing timber with special wood properties required for those uses where radiata pine (''
Pinus radiata
''Pinus radiata'' ( syn. ''Pinus insignis''), the Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a species of pine native to the Central Coast of California and Mexico (on Guadalupe Island and Cedros island). It is an evergreen conifer in t ...
'' D. Don.) is not entirely satisfactory". Therefore, the timber will usually be complementary to that of ''Pinus radiata'', not an alternative. Some of the special-purpose end uses advocated were; furniture, veneer, turnery, exterior joinery, boat building and tool handles. Pūriri has fulfilled these roles in the past. Other potential roles for pūriri include post, wharf and bridge pilings, as pine requires a high degree of preservative treatment and can break too readily under pressure due to lack of cross-grained wood.
[G.B. Walford and C.R. Hellawell (1982) Don't shave those poles. What's new in forestry research 106.] Indications are that pūriri could
coppice
Coppicing is the traditional method in woodland management of cutting down a tree to a tree stump, stump, which in many species encourages new Shoot (botany), shoots to grow from the stump or roots, thus ultimately regrowing the tree. A forest ...
well, and, as it is one of New Zealand's most demanded burning timbers,
it might prove suitable as a source of biomass or for charcoal production.
References
Further reading
* A. L. Poole & Nancy M. Adams (1994) ''Trees and shrubs of New Zealand''.
*
J. T. Salmon (1991) ''Native New Zealand flowering plants''.
* S. G. Brooker, R. C. Cambie & R. C. Cooper (1987) ''New Zealand medicinal plants''.
* J. W. Matthews (1962) ''New Zealand trees. A popular guide to the identification of the principal species''.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1861046
lucens
Trees of New Zealand
Endemic flora of New Zealand