Puriri

Description

Vitex lucens, or puriri, is an evergreen tree endemic to New Zealand. The Puriri tree can grow up to 20 m tall, with a trunk commonly up to 1.5 m in diameter, frequently thicker, and a broad spreading crown. The thin bark is usually smooth and light brown in colour, but can also be very flaky. Puriri was actively and selectively logged in the past to provide timber for a wide range of end uses. Only the best trees were felled, leaving the gnarled puriri often found on farm paddocks. This has given the impression that puriri is incapable of growing straight, but early reports of puriri describe naturally clear boles of 15 to 30 feet (4.5 to 9 m) and there are still a few trees like that left. A good example of a well-shaped tree is behind Ruapekapeka Pa in Northland. The dark green glossy leaves of puriri are palmate with usually 5 leaflets, or sometimes three. The lowest two leaflets are smaller than the other three. The leaflets have domatia, little pockets where the mid vein and branching veins meet that house anthropods. The underside and veins are a lighter green. Seedling leaves are much more delicate and a lighter green with serrations along the edge.Seedling puriri can be confused with seedlings of the kohekohe, or Dysoxylum spectabile; the most obvious difference is that puriri leaflets originate from one point, whereas kohekohe leaflets are spread along the stalk. The branches of puriri, especially the young ones, are square in cross-section. Puriri is one of the few native trees with large colourful flowers. Many plants in New Zealand have white or green flowers. The tubular flowers of the puriri look rather like snapdragon flowers and can range from fluorescent pink to dark red, rose pink (most common) or sometimes even to a white flower with a yellow or pink blush. The bright colour, the tube shape, copious nectar production and the hairs at the base of the flower tube all point towards birds pollinating this flower (the hairs stop insects from stealing the nectar). On the New Zealand mainland there is often plenty of nectar in the flowers because there aren't enough birds to eat all the nectar produced by the tree.