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Ascarina lucida
Ascarina lucida, commonly known as hutu, is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Chloranthaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand; its range mostly covers the western coast of the South Island. It is also found in the North Island, but is uncommon there. It inhabits lowland and montane forests, and grows in various soil types. It reaches a height of up to 8 metres (30 feet). It has glossy leaves which have tipped teeth on their margins.
Ascarina lucida was first described by the British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1856. It is the only member of the family Chloranthaceae that is native to New Zealand. A 2011 study revealed, based on plastid DNA analysis, that its closest relative is A. polystachya of the Society Islands. A. lucida is wind-pollinated, with no evidence of insect pollination.
The fruit are dispersed by fruit-eating animals (frugivores), such as birds. Burrows (1996) recorded that A. lucida fruit were consumed in abundance by silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis). Other birds known to eat the fruits include fantails (Rhipidura fuliginosa) and New Zealand bellbirds (Anthornis melanura). A. lucida is wind-pollinated, with no evidence of insect pollination, though the non-native honeybee (Apis mellifera) is recorded visiting the plant.
Ascarina coursii · Ascarina diffusa · Ascarina philippinensis · Ascarina
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Ascarina lucida by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
