Parsonsia heterophylla

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Parsonsia heterophylla
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Parsonsia
Species:
P. heterophylla
Binomial name
Parsonsia heterophylla
A.Cunn.
Occurrence data from
GBIF

Parsonsia heterophylla, commonly called New Zealand Jasmine or Kaihua, is a climbing plant endemic to New Zealand.[1] It was first described by Alan Cunningham in 1839.[2][3]

The name heterophylla comes from the differing leaf shapes that can be seen in seedlings and juvenile plants of the species.

Raoul[2][6] and Parsonsia macrocarpa Colenso.[2][7] It can also be described as "The Varied-leaved Parsonsia".[8] There are 40 species of Parsonsia found in Asia, Australasia and the Pacific, P. heterophylla is one of two endemic Parsonsia species found in New Zealand.[9] It is more robust and has bigger flowers than its close relative, Parsonsia capsularis, which is also known as Akakiore or Small Māori Jasmine.[10]

Parsonsia variabilis Lindl. is listed as a synonym by the New Zealand Plant conservation Network.[5] However, IPNI[11] and Plants of the World online[12] list Parsonsia variabilis as a synonym of Parsonsia capsularis.

Description

Flowers of Parsonsia heterophylla

The flowers of P. heterophylla are "white, scented, and tubular with anthers hidden within the tube."[9] This species has also been observed rarely to have yellow flowers.[13] They appear in many-flowered, fairly compact clusters on the plant.[13] The flowers are small, each usually up to 8mm in size.[10] The flowers are often described for their peculiar scent.[1] Often seen draped over the tops of tall trees, the flowers are more recognisable by their scent than their appearance.[9]

The fruit of P. heterophylla is a long, narrow pod that opens to release tufted seeds.[9] These seeds pods are around 15 cm long.[10] Each pod holds numerous seeds, and each one is tipped with a tuft of silky hairs.[4] The two-valved pod opens from the tip downwards, bending outwards and raising seeds up so that their tufts can be caught by the wind.[14] The fruit pods start green, turning to brown and then after the seeds have been dispersed, the dry, empty pods hang a long time on the plant.[4]

Long narrow leaf type

The leaves of P. heterophylla are variable in size and shape, both in all stages of its life.[15] The leaves of seedlings and juvenile plants are largely diverse, and a range of small and round, long and narrow and irregularly shaped leaves can all be found mixed on the same plant.[13] In adults, the leaves are described as "opposite, rather shiny and rather dark green from above, much paler underneath, more or less smooth-edge but often somewhat wavy edged, more than 1 cm wide, often 2, 3, or 4 cm wide and up to 10cm long".[13] While the leaves of adult plants are usually shorter and broader than in juveniles, they are still variable in shape.[15] The leaf types can narrowly be defined as small round, long narrow and moderately broad and oblong.[16]

Small round leaf type

The twining stems of P. heterophylla are often tightly wrapped around host stems and are described as softly woody and flexible.[13] In older plants, the stem is woody towards the base.[15] Each stem is as thick as a quill and shining.[8] This branching climber can reach up to 10 metres tall by climbing up any plant within reach.[15]

Distribution

P. heterophylla is an

indigenous or endemic species of New Zealand, meaning that it is not found anywhere else in the world.[17]

Its presence has been recorded in the North Island, South Island,

Stewart Island.[15] It is commonly found across the country in lowland or low montane forest.[9] Its preferred habitat is forest margins and clearings in coastal scrub patches.[10] It has been observed to grow side by side with its close relative Parsonsia capsularis in the Banks Peninsula, where hybrids are sometimes encountered.[13]

Life cycle

There is little information available on the timeline and life cycle of this species. This plant flowers from September to March, followed by seed pods from February.[1] Seeds are dispersed then by the wind.[14]

If one wants to plant P. heterophylla in their garden, the optimal time to collect seeds is between February and April.[18]

Interactions

P. heterophylla twine their young stems around other plants in order and grow and climb towards the sunlight.[10]

P. heterophylla is a host plant to a number of invertebrate species, including beetles, wasps, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers and sucking bugs.[19] The larvae of the moth Stigmella kaimanua feed on the leaves of P. heterophylla.[20] It also attracts the rare New Zealand Ribbonwood Aphid or Paradoxaphis plagianthi.[21] The sweet-scented flowers of P. heterophylla are attractive to night-flying moths.[15]

The nectar of P. heterophylla is eaten by the New Zealand Bellbird or Korimako.[22]

Further information

P. heterophylla's current conservation status is not threatened, according to the Department of Conservation.[5]

The flowers of P. heterophylla were historically often bound by Māori to the perches of bird-traps as a lure.[23]

References

  1. ^
    OCLC 26036266
    .
  2. ^ a b c "Parsonsia heterophylla A.Cunn. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  3. ^ Cunningham, A. (1839). "Specimen of the Botany of New Zealand:Apocynaceae". Annals of Natural History. 2: 46.
  4. ^
    OCLC 3844208
    .
  5. ^ a b c "Parsonsia heterophylla". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  6. ^ Raoul, E.F.L. (1844). "Plantes de la Nouvelle-Zelande". Annales des sciences naturelles Botanique, sér. 3. 2: 118.
  7. ^ Colenso, W (1882). "Description of a few new Indigenous Plants". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 14: 320–339 [331].
  8. ^ a b Laing, Robert Malcolm; Blackwell, Ellen W. (1949). Plants of New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand: Whitcombe and Tombs. p. 360.
  9. ^
    OCLC 27264960
    .
  10. ^
    OCLC 33217447
    .
  11. ^ "Parsonsia variabilis | International Plant Names Index". www.ipni.org. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
  12. ^ "Parsonsia capsularis (G.Forst.) R.Br. ex Endl. (synonyms)| Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  13. ^
    OCLC 861302803.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  14. ^
    OCLC 1191018
    .
  15. ^
    OCLC 5727559
    .
  16. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.12016
    .
  17. ^ "Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Parsonsia heterophylla". nzflora.info. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  18. ^ "Calendar for seed collecting - grasses, sedges, lilies, flaxes, epiphytes and climbers". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  19. ^ "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  20. ^ "Stigmella kaimanua Donner & Wilkinson, 1989". Nepticulidae and Opostegidae of the world. Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  21. S2CID 83762940
    .
  22. ^ "Food preferences of the bellbird (Anthornis melanura) in native forest remnants on the Port Hills, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  23. ^ "Māori Plant Use Database Plant Use Details of Parsonsia heterophylla". maoriplantuse.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2021-04-08.

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