PSEUDOPANAX FEROX, T. Kirk. 
THE TOOTHED LANCEWOOD. 
OrDER—ARALIACEA. 
(Plates XXIII., XXIV., XXV., and XXVI.) 
T'uis remarkable tree is a comparatively recent addition to the New Zealand 
flora, having been discovered by Mr. John Buchanan, F.L.S., in Otago, and 
erroneously considered by him to be the true Panax crassifolium of Decaisne and 
Planchon ; in 1876 he described it in ‘‘ The Transactions of the New Zealand 
Institute ’’* under that name, and gave an excellent drawing of the male flowers 
and toothed leaves. 
In its mature state it forms a handsome tree 30ft. high, with a trunk rarely 
exceeding 15in. in diameter. The remarkable changes of foliage through which 
it passes in its progress to maturity, and the different aspects which it presents, 
are of great interest, and must be briefly described. 
The cotyledons, the first leaves developed on the germination of the seed, 
are oval, flat, and membranous ; they are quickly succeeded by narrow-linear 
leaves, fin. broad, toothed, and of harsh texture (Pl. XXIV.): as the stem 
increases in height the leaves retain their linear form, but increase in length, 
and become slightly expanded at the apex. At first they are given off ata 
right angle with the unbranched stem, but ultimately become deflexed, the 
lower surface of the leaf forming an acute angle with the stem. As they attain 
a length of r8in. with a breadth of 4in., these thick, rigid, linear leaves pointing to 
the ground present a strange appearance, which has only a single parallel in the 
New Zealand flora (Pl. XXIII.). In this stage their texture is extremely 
coriaceous and rigid; the stout midrib is conspicuous along the entire length of 
the leaf, the surface is blotched and mottled, and the margins are furnished with 
large lobulate-hooked teeth, capable of inflicting a severe wound if incautiously 
handled (Pl. XXIV.). The exact duration of this stage is unknown, but plants 
have been observed to exhibit no change for thirty years or more; some of the 
leaves are persistent for twenty years. On approaching the period of maturity 
the simple stem branches at or near the apex, the new leaves are shorter, and 
gradually assume an erect position, the texture becomes thicker and more rigid, 
but the spinous teeth entirely disappear; new branches are developed, and the 
plant forms a round-headed tree with the lower parts of the branches naked, 
but exhibits absolutely no trace of the remarkable form of leaf which charac- 
terized its intermediate stage. Male and female flowers are now produced 
on separate trees (Pl. XXV.), and the latter are succeeded by ovoid fruits 
(Pl. XXVI.), at first covered with a delicate glaucous bloom, which gradually 
disappears, when they shrink and become wrinkled. 
This species differs essentially from the common lancewood (P. crassifolium, 
Decaisne and Planchon) in the spinous leaves of the intermediate stage, the 
smaller leaves of the mature state, the racemose male flowers, and the small 
umbels of fruit. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS. 
Six species are included under Pseudopanax, four of which are restricted to 
New Zealand and two to South Chil. 
* Trans. N.Z. Inst,, ix.,'p. 529, pl. xx. 
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