Polyscias sambucifolia

Polyscias sambucifolia, commonly known as elderberry panax or small basswood, is a species of plant native to eastern Australia.

Polyscias sambucifolia
Polyscias sambucifolia subsp. sambucifolia growing near Brisbane Water National Park, Australia
Fruit (McKay Reserve, Palm Beach, New South Wales)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Araliaceae
Genus: Polyscias
Species:
P. sambucifolia
Binomial name
Polyscias sambucifolia
Synonyms

Panax sambucifoliusSieber ex DC.
Tieghemopanax sambucifolius

Taxonomy

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]

Description

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.

Leaves

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.

Flowers and fruit

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.

Distribution and habitat

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.

Ecology

Currawongs eat the fruit. The caterpillars of the elderberry panax leaf roller (Cryptoptila australana) eat the leaves.[4]

Uses

Elderberry panax has attractive foliage and fruit.[5]

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References
  1. "Panax sambucifolius Sieber ex DC". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. "Polyscias sambucifolia (Sieber ex DC.) Harms". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  3. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Polyscias~sambucifolia
  4. Benson, Doug; McDougall, Lyn (1993). "Ecology of Sydney Plant Species Part 1: Ferns, fern-allies, cycads, conifers and dicotyledon families Acanthaceae to Asclepiadaceae" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 3 (2): 257–422 [404]. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2011.
  5. Hadlow, Barrie (1983). "Polyscias sambucifolia". Growing Native Plants. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian National Botanic Gardens and Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
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