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Manual of the New Zealand Flora.
3. Panax, Linn
3. Panax, Linn.
Evergreen trees or shrubs. Leaves simple or more usually digitately or pinnately divided. Flowers polygamous or diœcious, jointed at the top of the pedicels, umbellate; umbels simple or compound, variously arranged. Calyx-limb entire or 5-toothed. Petals 5, valvate. Stamens 5. Ovary 2- or rarely 3–4-celled; styles free or connate at the base, their tips free, usually recurved. Fruit compressed or nearly globose, 2–4-celled, exocarp succulent or coriaceous; seeds 1 in each cell.
Species between 30 and 40, mainly Australasian, Polynesian, and Malayan, but extending to central Asia and tropical Africa. The New Zealand species are all endemic.
| Leaves of young plants narrow-linear, 5–10 in. long; of old plants linear or lanceolate, 2–3 in. | 1. P. lineare. |
| Leaflets 2–5 in., lanceolate, serrate. Styles 2 | 2. P. simplex. |
| Leaflets 2–8 in., oblong-lanceolate, entire. Styles 3–4 | 3. P. Edgerleyi. |
| Leaflets small, ⅓–⅔ in., orbicular or obovate. Styles 2 | 4. P. anomalum. |
| *** Leaves of old plants 3–5- or 7-foliolate. | |
| Leaves 3–5-foliolate; petioles not sheathing. Umbels small. Fruit compressed | 5. P. Sinclairii. |
| Leaves 3–5-foliolate; petioles sheathing; leaflets sessile, veins indistinct. Umbels large, compound | 6. P. Colensoi. |
| Leaves 5–7-foliolate; petioles sheathing; leaflets stalked, veins obvious. Umbels very large, compound | 7. P. arboreum. |
| 1. | P. lineare, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 93.—A small sparingly branched shrub 5–10 ft. high; branches spreading, stout and woody, bearing numerous simple or trifid coriaceous scales mixed with the leaves. Leaves of young trees crowded, ascending, simple, 5–10 in. long, ⅕–⅓ in. wide, narrow-linear, acute, gradually narrowed into a short stout petiole, remotely and obscurely sinuate-serrate, excessively thick and coriaceous, midrib and margins thickened. Leaves of mature trees 2–4 in. long, ½–¾ in. wide, linear or linear-lanceolate, obtuse or acute, obscurely serrate, very thick and coriaceous, midrib and margins thickened; petiole short, ⅛–⅙ in. long, jointed on to the branch. Flowers small, diœcious. Umbels usually terminal, but occasionally axillary as well, compound, shorter than the leaves; rays 3–7, bracteolate. Ovary 3–5-celled; styles the same number as page 229the cells, connate at the base, free and recurved at the tips. Fruit broadly ovoid, 3–5-celled and -seeded.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 101; Kirk, Students' Fl. 217.
South Island: Subalpine forests from Nelson to Preservation Inlet, chiefly on the western side of the island. 2500–4000 ft. January–February. |
| 2. | P. simplex, Forst. Prodr. n. 399.—A shrub or small tree 8–25 ft. high, everywhere smooth and glabrous. Leaves excessively variable, polymorphous; of very young plants either ovate or broadly ovate, serrate, or 3–5-foliolate with the leaflets deeply lobed or pinnatifid: both these states are succeeded by 3-foliolate leaves with lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate sharply serrate leaflets. Leaves of mature trees 1-foliolate, variable in size, 2–5 in. long, lanceolate to oblong- or obovate-lanceolate, coriaceous and glossy, acute or acuminate, rarely obtuse, sharply serrate or nearly entire; petiole 1–3 in. long, jointed at the top. Umbels small, shorter than the leaves, axillary or terminal, irregularly compound; secondary umbels 8–16-flowered, the terminal one usually female, the lateral male. Flowers small, greenish-white. Ovary 2-celled; styles 2, free to the base, recurved. Fruit ⅛ in. diam., orbicular, compressed; seeds 2.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 280, t. 31; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 509; Raoul, Choix, 46; Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 18, t. 12; Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 93; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 100; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 106, 107; Students' Fl. 217.
Var. quercifolium, Kirk, l.c. —Leaves of mature plants 1-foliolate, 3–5 long, lanceolate, deeply lobulate or pinnatifid.—Forest Fl. t. 106, f. 2. Var. parvum, Kirk, l.c. —Leaves of mature plants 1-foliolate, ¾–1 in. long acute or subacute, crenate or serrate. Umbels few-flowered. North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Auckland Islands: From the Thames Goldfields southwards, but local north of the East Cape. Var. quercifolium: Canterbury—Upper Waimakariri, Enys! Var. parvum: Various localities from Nelson to Stewart Island, Kirk! Petrie! H. J. Matthews! T.F.C. Sea-level to over 4000 ft. Haumakaroa. November–January. |
| 3. | P. Edgerleyi, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 94.—A small graceful tree 20–40 ft. high; trunk 12–18 in. diam. Leaves very aromatic, bright glossy green, smooth and shining, membranous, dimorphic: of mature plants 1-foliolate; petiole jointed to the blade, slender, 1–3 in. long; blade 2–8 in., oblong- or obovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, acute or acuminate, quite entire: of young plants 3–5-foliolate with the leaflets deeply and irregularly lobed or pinnatifid. Umbels small, ½–¾ in. diam., 10–12-flowered, in slender axillary or lateral panicles 1–2 in. long. Flowers small, greenish-white. Ovary 3–4-celled; styles as many as the cells, connate at the base. Fruit ⅛ in. diam., globose; seeds 3–4.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 101; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 44; Students' Fl. 217. Raukana Edgerleyi, Seem. Journ. Bot. iv. (1866) 352.
page 230
Var. serratum, Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 45.—Leaves of mature plants with the margins serrated or lobulate. North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Not uncommon in hilly forests from Hokianga southwards. Var. serratum: Stewart Island, Kirk! Sea-level to 2500 ft. Raukawa; Koare. January–February. The Maoris formerly mixed the fragrant leaves with fat or oil, which was then used for anointing the person. |
| 4. | P. anomalum, Hook, in Lond. Journ. Bot. ii. (1843) 422, t. 12.—A much-branched shrub 5–12 ft. high; branches spreading at right angles, younger ones usually clothed with small bristly scales. Leaves of young plants 3-foliolate; petioles long, slender, winged; leaflets jointed on to the petiole, stipellate at the base, elliptic-ovate or orbicular-ovate, sometimes lobed, toothed or crenate, usually membranous. Leaves of mature plants 1-foliolate; petiole very short, seldom more than ⅛ in. long; leaflet ⅓–⅔ in. long, orbicular or oblong-orbicular, rarely narrower and oblong-obovate, rounded at the tip, obscurely crenate, rather coriaceous, usually with minute linear stipellæ at the base. Umbels small, simple, axillary, 2–8-flowered; peduncles very short. Flowers minute, greenish. Ovary 2-celled; styles 2, free. Fruit ⅛–⅙ in. diam., orbicular, much compressed, 2-celled, mottled.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 93; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 101; Kirk, Students' Fl. 218.
Var. microphyllum, Kirk, l.c. — Smaller and more slender. Leaves smaller, ⅕–⅓ in. long, obovate-lanceolate to broadly obovate, sinuate-crenate.— P. microphyllum, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 328. North and South Islands: Not uncommon in woods from Mongonui and Kaitaia southwards, ascending to 2500 ft. Wauwaupaku. December–February. A very curious plant, with the habit of Melicytus micranthus or Melicope simplex, quite unlike a Panax. Mr. Colenso's P. microphyllum is the common form south of the Waikato, but it differs little from the type. |
| 5. | P. Sinclairii, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 103.—A branching shrub or small tree 6–15 ft. high. Leaves 3–5-foliolate; petioles 2–3 in. long, slender, not sheathing at the base; leaflets sessile or very shortly stalked, 1–3 in. long, obovate- or oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, dull-green, coriaceous, sharply serrate; veins obscure. Umbels small, unisexual, axillary or terminal, 3–10-flowered or more, on simple or branched peduncles 1–1½ in. long; pedicels short. Calyx minutely 5-toothed. Ovary 2-celled; styles 2,. short, recurved. Fruit orbicular, compressed, 2-celled, ⅛–⅙ in. diam.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 219.
North Island: Thames Goldfields, Adams! Te Aroha, Pirongia and Karioi Mountains, T.F.C.; Opepe, Taupo, Kirk! East Cape, Sinclair; Ruahine Mountains, Colenso; Mount Egmont, Buchanan! T.F.C. 1000–3500 ft. January–February. Very closely allied to P. simplex, from which it is chiefly separated by the leaves being 3–5-foliolate, never 1-foliolate. page 231 |
| 6. | P. Colensoi, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 94, t. 21.—A glabrous shrub or small tree, 5–15 ft. high; branches stout, spreading. Leaves 3–5-foliolate; petioles 2–9 in. long, with a. stout 2-lobed sheathing base; leaflets 2–6 in., obovate- or oblong-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, sessile or shortly petioled, coarsely serrate, thick and coriaceous, smooth and glossy, veins usually indistinct. Flowers diœcious. Umbels large, compound, terminal, similar to those of P. arboreum but smaller and with fewer primary rays; secondary rays ½–1 in. long, pedicels short. Ovary 2-celled; styles 2, slightly connate at the base, tips spreading, recurved. Fruit orbicular, ⅕ in. diam., much compressed, 2-celled, purplish-black.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 102; Kirk, Students' Fl. 218.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: In hilly or mountainous districts from the Little Barrier Island and Cape Colville southwards. Usually from 1500–4500 ft., but descending to sea-level on Stewart Island. December–February. Very closely allied to P. arboreum, but the leaves are 3–5-foliolate (not 5–7-foliolate), the leaflets are sessile or nearly so, and the veins are usually indistinct. |
| 7. | P. arboreum, Forst. Prodr. n. 398.—A small much-branched round-headed tree 12–25 ft. high; branches stout, brittle. Leaves digitately 5–7-foliolate; petioles stout, 2–10 in. long, with a broad 2-lobed sheath at the base; leaflets 3–7 in., on petioles ½–1 in. long, broad- or narrow-oblong or obovate-oblong, obtuse or acute, serrate or sinuate-serrate, coriaceous, smooth and shining, veins distinct. Umbels large, terminal, compound, diœcious; primary rays 8–12, radiating, 2–4 in. long; secondary 10–20, ½–1½ in. long, each bearing a 10–15-flowered umbel; pedicels short, slender. Flowers ¼ in. diam. Ovary 2-celled; styles 2, connate at the base, tips free, recurved. Fruit broader than long, compressed, ¼–⅓ in. diam., purplish-black, 2-celled; seeds 1 in each cell.—A. Rich,. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 281; A Cunn. Precur. n. 510; Raoul, Choix, 46; Hook, in Lond. Journ. Bot. ii. (1843) 421, t. 11; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 94; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 102; Kirk, Students Fl. 219.
Var. lætum, Kirk, l.c. —Leaflets much larger, 7–10 in. long, 3–4 in. broad, broadly ovate-lanceolate or obovate, abruptly acuminate, coarsely serrate or •dentate. Kermadec Islands, North and South Islands. —Abundant in lowland districts throughout. Var. lætum; Thames Goldfields, Kirk! T.F.C. Sea-level to 1500 ft. Whauwhau-paku. June–July. |