Pseudopanax
(from pseudos, false, and Panax). ORD. Araliaceae. A genus comprising four species of greenhouse, evergreen, glabrous shrubs or small trees, two of which are from New Zealand, and the others natives of Chili. Flowers in small, racemose or paniculate umbels; petals and stamens five, the former valvate; pedicels articulated below the flowers. Fruit sub-globose. Leaves digitate or simple; leaflets coriaceous, often slightly toothed. The two species here described are those introduced to cultivation. For culture, see Aralia.
P. crassifolium (thick-leaved). l. alternate, 2ft. long, and about 1in. broad, thick and fleshy, having a few obtuse, distant lobes along the edges, which end in a short spine; upper surface dark olive-green; midrib prominent, deep orange. h. 10ft. New Zealand, 1846. SYNS. Aralia crassifolia, Panax crassifolium, P. longissimum. A garden variety, known as punctata, is in cultivation; the leaves are not so thick as those of the type, the marginal lobes are not so blunt, and the colour is dark olive-green, with a continuous line of emerald-green blotches all along, on either side of the midrib. P. Lessonii (Lesson's). fl. rather large; umbels branched, on stout peduncles; pedicels racemose. fr. ovoid, 1/4in. long. l., on old plants, three to five-foliolate; leaflets 1in. to 4in. long, sessile, oblong-or obovate-lanceolate, slightly acute, sinuate-serrate or quite entire, very thick and coriaceous; petioles 4in. to 8in. long. New Zealand. A small, glabrous tree, with very stout branches. SYN. Aralia trifolia.
