Polyscias sambucifolia, commonly known as elderberry panax or small basswood, is a species of plant native to eastern Australia.
Elderberry panax was first described by Franz Sieber in 1830 as Panax sambucifolius.[1] It was given its current name in 1894 by German botanist Hermann Harms.[2]
The taxonomy of the small basswood has been reviewed, resulting in the recognition of three sub species: sambucifolia, decomposita and leptophylla.[3]
Common names for these plants include small basswood, elderberry panax, ornamental ash and elderberry ash.[2]
Elderberry panax grows to 11 metres tall with a trunk diameter of 20 cm at Errinundra National Park and Otway National Park in the state of Victoria.
The trunk is straight. Bark is dark brown or black. Fairly smooth, marked by lenticles, pustules and lines.
Leaf form varies between different sub forms of this plant. See Plant Net[3] for detailed descriptions between the sub species.
Leaves are pinnate or bipinnate, with leaflets. Between one and six pairs of leaflets on the leaf stem. Leaflets of sub species sambucifolia are toothed, ovate in shape. The other sub species leaves are not toothed.
Leaflets 2 to 20 cm long. Leaves glossy green above, dull glaucous below. A terminal leaflet is seen on the end of the compound leaf.
Leaf stalks vary between 20 mm and no leaf stalk in sub species leptophylla. Leaf shape varies between ovate or elliptic to broad-elliptic in sub species sambucifolia. However the sessile leaflets of sub species leptophylla are oblong linear and somewhat curved (falcate) in shape. Leaf formation is two-pinnate or rarely three-pinnate in sub species decomposita.
Leaf veins evident on both the upper and lower surfaces. Sunken on the top of the leaf, raised below.
Yellow/green flowers form on panicles from December to February. The fruit is an edible globose mericarp, 4 to 6 mm long. Mauve or blue in colour. Containing one or two seeds, 2 mm long. Fruit matures from January to April.
The natural range of distribution is from Cape Otway (38° S) in the state of Victoria to the McPherson Range (28° S), on the border of New South Wales and Queensland. It is often seen on the edge of rainforests.
Currawongs eat the fruit. The caterpillars of the elderberry panax leaf roller (Cryptoptila australana) eat the leaves.[4]
Elderberry panax has attractive foliage and fruit.[5]
Polyscias sambucifolia, commonly known as elderberry panax or small basswood, is a species of plant native to eastern Australia.
Polyscias sambucifolia es una especie de planta fanerógama perteneciente a la familia de las araliáceas.
Es una que crece en las áreas húmedas del este de Australia.
La taxonomía del basswood pequeño (small basswood) ha sido revisada. Resultando en el reconocimiento de tres subespecies: Subespecie sambucifolia, subespecie decomposita y subespecie leptophylla.[1]
El rango de distribución es desde Cape Otway (38° S) en el estado de Victoria hasta la Cadena McPherson (28° S) , en la frontera de Nueva Gales del Sur y Queensland.
Nombres comunes para esas plantas incluyen basswood pequeño (small basswood), panax saúco (elderberry panax), fresno ornamental (ornamental ash) y fresno saúco (elderberry ash).
Con frecuencia se le ve como un arbusto en el límite de los bosques lluviosos. Sin embargo, crece hasta 11 metros y alcanza un diámetro de 20 cm en el parque nacional Errinundra y el parque nacional Otway en el estado de Victoria.
El tronco es recto. La corteza es café oscura o negra, bastante lisa, y marcada por lenticelas, pústulas y líneas. La forma de la hoja varía entre las diferentes sub-formas de esta planta. Ver Plant Net.[1] Las hojas son pinnadas o bipinnadas, con foliolos. Entre uno y seis pares de foliolos en cada tallo de la hoja. Los foliolos de la subespecie sambucifolia son dentados, de forma ovada. Las hojas de las otras subespecies no están dentadas. Foliolos de 2 a 20 cm de largo. Hojas verdes brillosas en el haz, glaucas opacas en el envés. Un foliolo terminal se puede ver al final de la hoja compuesta.
Los tallos de hoja varían desde los de 20 mm y los que no tienen tallo en la especie leptophylla. La forma de la hoja varía entre la ovada o elíptica a ancha-elíptica en la subespecie sambucifolia. Sin embargo, los foliolos sésiles de la subespecie leptophylla son de forma linear oblongo y algo curvada (falcata). La formación de la hoja es bi-pinnada o raramente tri-pinnada en la subespecie decomposita. Las venas de la hoja son evidentes en ambas superficies. Hundidas en el haz, elevadas en el envés.
Las flores amarillo/verdosas se forman en panículas desde diciembre a febrero. El fruto es un cocci globoso comestible, de 4 a 6 mm de largo. De color guinda o azul. Conteniendo una o dos semillas, de 2 mm de largo. El fruto madura de enero a abril.
Polyscias sambucifolia fue descrita por Sieber ex DC. Harms y publicado en Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien 3(8): 45. 1894.[2]
Polyscias sambucifolia es una especie de planta fanerógama perteneciente a la familia de las araliáceas.
Polyscias sambucifolia là một loài thực vật có hoa trong Họ Cuồng cuồng. Loài này được (Sieber ex DC.) Harms miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1894.[1]
Polyscias sambucifolia là một loài thực vật có hoa trong Họ Cuồng cuồng. Loài này được (Sieber ex DC.) Harms miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1894.
