Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Malvales Juss. ex Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Malvaceae
Genus
Plagianthus J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Plagianthus regius (Poit.) Hochr., Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève 10: 16 (1907) subsp. regius
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Philippodendrum regium Poit., Annales des Sciences Naturelles; Botanique sér. 2 Ser.2, 8: 184, t.3 (1837)
  • = Plagianthus betulinus A.Cunn., Ann. Nat. Hist. 4: 25 (1840)
 Description

Heteroblastic, subdioec. tree up to c. 15 m. tall; trunk up to c. 1 m. diam.; lvs deciduous. Juvenile plant a bush up to c. 2 m. tall, densely branched, with slender ± interlacing zigzag branchlets. Indumentum stellate. Lvs rather distant, on petioles ± 5 mm. long; lamina ± 5–15–(20) × 3–10–(15) mm., broad-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, crenate-serrate, sts deeply irregularly lobed. Plant changing gradually to semi-adult flowering stage; with larger lvs. Adult plant (often showing shoots reverting to juvenile state) with lvs on petioles up to 3 cm. long; lamina (10)–30–75 × 5–50 mm., membr.; ovate to ovate-lanceolate, or broad-ovate, acuminate, coarsely and irregularly crenate-serrate, cuneately or truncately narrowed to base. Subfloral lvs ± 3–10 × 1–5 mm., or lower ones larger. Fls ± 3–4 mm. diam., mostly unisexual, occ. perfect, ∞, in decompound paniculate cymes up to 25 cm. long; pedicels very slender, ± 5 mm. long. Calyx campanulate, ± 2 mm. long, with 5 narrow-triangular teeth; petals white, spathulate-oblong, clawed. ♂ with exserted staminal column; anthers red, ± 12, sts ∞, subsessile on column, style aborted, included in column. ♀ with ripe carpels c. 3–5 mm. long, ovoid, pointed. Seed solitary.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1 as Plagianthus betulinus A.Cunn.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
Annales des Sciences Naturelles; Botanique sér. 2
Cunningham, A. 1840: Florae insularum Novae Zelandiae precursor; or a specimen of the botany of the islands of New Zealand. Annals of Natural History 4: 22–26.
de Lange, P.J. 2008: Plagianthus regius subsp. chathamicus (Malvaceae) - a new combination for the Chatham Islands endemic tree. New Zealand Journal of Botany 46: 381–386.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Hochreutiner, B.P.G. 1907: Malvaceæ at Bombacaceæ Novæ. Annuaire du Conservatoire et du Jardin Botaniques de Genève 10: 15–25.
Melville, R. 1966: Contributions to the Flora of Australia: VII. Generic Delimitation in the Plagianthus Complex. Kew Bulletin 20: 511–516.