Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Ericales Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Primulaceae
Genus
Myrsine L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Myrsine australis (A.Rich.) Allan, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 76: 596 (1947)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Suttonia australis A.Rich., Essai Fl. Nouv.-Zél., 349, t. 38 (1832)
  • ≡ Rapanea australis (A.Rich.) W.R.B. Oliver in Oliver, Rec. Auckland Inst. Mus. 4: 112 (1951)
  • = Myrsine urvillei A.DC., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 105 (1834)
Vernacular Name(s):
Māpau; Māpou; Mataira; Matipou; Red mapou; Red matipo; Takapou; Tāpau; Tīpau
 Description

Shrub or tree up to ± 6 m. tall; bark dark, red on younger branches and on branchlets. Lvs on rather stout petioles up to ± 5 mm. long. Lamina ± 3–6 × 1·5–2.5 cm., coriac., glab. except on midvein, oblong to obovate-oblong to broad-elliptic, obtuse; margins us. strongly undulate, flat or nearly so in some forms. Infl. of ± crowded fascicles. Fls. c. 1·5–2.5 mm. diam., whitish, unisexual, on short pedicels. Calyx-lobes 4 or obsolete, persistent. Petals 4, free, revolute; ♂ with 4 stamens, anthers large, ovary vestigial; ♀ with sterile anthers; stigma ± sessile, fimbriate. Fr. c. 2–3 mm. diam., dark brown to black when mature.

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

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Jan.–Apr.; Fruiting: Oct.–Feb.

 Bibliography
Allan, H.H. 1947: Notes on New Zealand Floristic Botany, Including Description of New Species etc. (No. 8). Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 76: 589–596.
de Candolle, A.L.P.P. 1834: A review of the natural order Myrsineae. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 17(1): 95–138.
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]
Oliver, W.R.B. 1951: The flora of the Three Kings Islands: additional notes: with note on Suttonia. Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum 4: 111–112.
Richard, A. 1832: Essai d'une Flore de la Nouvelle Zélande. In: Dumont d'Urville, J. Voyage de découvertes de l'Astrolabe. Botanique. Tastu, Paris.