This one has me confused. The plant, which is a tree around 10m tall, was labelled Ascarina lucida. The leaves look fine for that species, no problems there, but the fruits don't look right. The NZ Plant Conservation Network describes the fruit as small and white (http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora_details.aspx?ID=1517) and a couple of references I've seen say around 2.5mm diameter. These fruits are more like 20mm long and urn-shaped. I didn't see it flower and I don't know if the fruit will get bigger or change colour. There are very few pictures of Ascarina online and the ones I've seen aren't really definitive. As usual, any ideas would be appreciated.
You know I know nothing about this. Presumably you saw this one, which looks unlike yours and more like another photo I saw of Ascarina diffusa: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uhmuseum/7186311826/ Or this from a search for "hutu", and I'm assuming that Ascaria is either a typo or an alternate name. http://www.forestflora.co.nz/Plant%20profiles/Ascaria%20lucida.htm Two people at this page claim to be able to identify Ascarina lucida: http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/362657 I can't get this to download - it must have a ton of details :) A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE GENUS ASCARINA FORST www.new1.dli.ernet.in/data1/upload/insa/INSA_1/20005b8b_371.pdf
Thanks for those links, Wendy. Although the colour differs with the images, the foliage shape and size is the same as mine in all cases. The way the teeth on the edges curve is quite distinctive. If I hadn't seen the fruit, I wouldn't have questioned the ID on the label. Also, the shape of the fruit in my shots looks familiar but I can't place it. However, it doesn't look like Ascarina lucida fruit or any other Ascarina that I've been able to locate pictures of. Just one of those mysteries. If it's like any of the others over the years, once I do find out I'll suddenly start seeing those plants everywhere. Funny how that happens. You can go for years without seeing one and then suddenly there's a dozen. Like the Viburnum ordoratissimum I asked about last week. Hadn't really noticed it before and didn't think I'd seen it flowering. But now I've located several plants, some of which I must have walked past when they were in bloom. I used to think I was quite observant.
This plant in the photos is pukatea (Laurelia novae zelandiae), its foliage is often confused with Ascarina lucida, but the seeds are those very distinctive shaped green capsules in the photos rather than berries.
Thanks, Chris. That clears up that mystery, which is a little embarrassing as I was already familiar with Laurelia n-z. I'd just never seen it with fruit.
