Alectryon excelsus Gaertn.

Tree up to ± 10 m. tall; trunk ± 6 dm. diam.; branches stout, bark nearly, black; branchlets, lflts, infl.-axes and capsules densely clad in ferruginous hairs when young. Lvs imparipinnate, ± 10–40 cm. long, on petioles ± 8 cm. long. Lflts alt. to subopp., 4–6 pairs on petiolules c. 5 mm. long. Lamina ± 5–10 × 2–5 cm. long, subcoriac., slightly obliquely ovate-lanceolate to ovate-oblong, acuminate, ± sinuate-undulate, coarsely irregularly serrate-dentate with teeth up to c. 5 mm. long, to obscurely toothed or entire. Panicles up to c. 3 dm. long, us. much and openly branched; pedicels slender, up to c. 5 mm. long. Calyx cupular, pubescent, ± deeply cleft into 5 triangular acute teeth. Stamens 6–8; anthers large, dark red. Ovary small, densely pubescent. Capsule somewhat woody, 8–12 mm. long, pubescent, winged above, the wing us. produced as a spur on one side. Seeds subglobose, black, lustrous; aril scarlet, fleshy, granular, us. investing lower half of seed, sts vestigial.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]

Flowering: Oct.–Dec.; Fruiting: Oct.–Dec.