Pterophylla sylvicola

Tōwai, tawhero
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Oxalidales
Family:	Cunoniaceae
Genus:	Pterophylla
Species:	P. sylvicola
Binomial name
Pterophylla sylvicola Sol. ex A.Cunn.
Synonyms[1]
Pterophylla sylvicola var. betulina (A.Cunn.) Pillon & H.C.Hopkins Weinmannia betulina A.Cunn. Weinmannia fuchsioides A.Cunn. Weinmannia sylvicola Sol. ex A.Cunn. Weinmannia sylvicola var. betulina (A.Cunn.) Hook.f.

Pterophylla sylvicola, known as tōwai or tawhero, is a medium-sized evergreen tree of the family Cunoniaceae native to northern New Zealand. It is formerly known as Weinmannia sylvicola.^[1]

Description

It grows to 15 m or more, with a trunk up to 1 m in diameter. Adult leaves are toothed and leathery, with up to five pairs of leaflets. Juvenile leaves are thinner and have up to ten pairs of leaflets. Flowers are small and pink or white, occurring in 8–12 cm racemes. Fruits are 4–5 cm capsules,^[2] which release many tiny seeds that are dispersed by wind.^[3]

Range and habitat

Tōwai occurs in forest and forest margins from North Cape south to the Waitākere Ranges west of Auckland.^[4] A closely related tree, kāmahi (P. racemosa), replaces tōwai south of latitude 37°S.^[5]

Gallery

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  Foliage
• 
  Flowers
• 
  1895 botanical illustration by Sydney Parkinson

References

1. Pterophylla sylvicola (Sol. ex A.Cunn.) Pillon & H.C.Hopkins Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 17 April 2023.
2. "New Zealand plant conservation network". Retrieved 2013-11-24.
3. "T.E.R.R.A.I.N." Retrieved 2013-11-24.
4. "Flora of New Zealand". Retrieved 2013-11-24.
5. "Flora of New Zealand (W. Racemosa)". Retrieved 2013-11-24.