Myoporum laetum

Myoporum laetum, commonly known as ngaio (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell,<ref>Template:Accents of English</ref> {{#invoke:IPA|main}}) or mousehole tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It is a fast growing shrub or small tree with lance-shaped leaves, the edges with small serrations, and white flowers with small purple spots and 4 stamens.

Description

File:King, Martha Ngaio (cropped).jpg

Botanical illustration by Martha King (1842)

Ngaio is a fast-growing evergreen shrub or small tree that sometimes grows to a height of Template:Convert with a trunk up to Template:Convert in diameter, or spreads to as much as Template:Convert. It often appears dome-shaped at first but as it gets older, distorts as branches break off. The bark on older specimens is thick, corky and furrowed. The leaves are lance-shaped, usually Template:Convert long, Template:Convert wide, have many translucent dots in the leaves and edges that have small serrations in approximately the outer half.<ref name=Chinnock>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=NZPCN>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Dawson>Template:Cite book</ref>

The flowers are white with purple spots and are borne in groups of 2 to 6 on stalks Template:Convert long. There are 5 egg-shaped, pointed sepals and 5 petals joined at their bases to form a bell-shaped tube Template:Convert long. The petal lobes are Template:Convert long making the flower diameter Template:Convert. There are four stamens that extend slightly beyond the petal tube and the ovary is superior with 2 locules. Flowering occurs from mid-spring to mid-summer and is followed by the fruit which is a bright red drupe Template:Convert long.<ref name="Chinnock" /><ref name="NZPCN" /><ref name="Dawson" />

Taxonomy and naming

Myoporum laetum was first formally described in 1786 by Georg Forster in Florulae Insularum Australium Prodromus.<ref name="POWO" /><ref name="G.Forst.">Template:Cite book</ref> The specific epithet (laetum) means "cheerful, pleasant or bright".<ref name="Stearn">Template:Cite book</ref> The Māori language name ngaio has cognates in many other Polynesian languages, where the word is used to describe other members of the genus Myoporum.<ref name="MeaningTrees">Template:Cite q</ref>

Distribution and habitat

File:Myoporum laetum kz10.jpg

Ngaio growing in a coastal area at Wainui Bay, Tasman Region

Ngaio grows very well in coastal areas of New Zealand including the on the Chatham Islands. It grows in lowland forest, sometimes in pure stands, others in association with other species such as nīkau (Rhopalostylis sapida).<ref name="Chinnock" />

Ecology

Myoporum laetum has been introduced to several other countries including Portugal, South Africa and Namibia.<ref name ="Chinnock" /> It is considered an invasive exotic species by the California Exotic Pest Plant Council.<ref name=CIPC>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Uses

Indigenous use

The Māori would rub the leaves over their skin to repel mosquitoes and sandflies.<ref name=NZ>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The leaf buds and inner bark also have uses in traditional rongoā medicinal practices, intended to soothe stomach pain or sore gums, and the berries were occasionally a traditional food source, however due to the presence of the toxin ngaione, consumption is not recommended.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>

Early European uses

Early European settlers to New Zealand used ngaio oil as a sheep dip, to protect sheep from parasites.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>

Horticulture

Ngaio is a hardy plant that will grow in most soils but needs full sun. It can also tolerate exposure to salt spray.<ref name=PFAF>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It can be grown from seed or from semi-hard cuttings.<ref name="NZPCN" />

Toxicity

The leaves of this tree contain the liver toxin ngaione, which can cause sickness and or death in stock such as horses, cattle, sheep and pigs.<ref>Encyclopaedia of Clinical Toxicology: A Comprehensive Guide and Reference, by Irving S. Rossoff</ref>

Māori legend

Template:See also According to Māori legend,<ref name=Rona>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a Ngaio tree can be seen on the Moon. Here is the story, as recounted by politician, historian, poet William Pember Reeves (1857–1932):

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Gallery

• Flower of Ngaio
  Flower of Ngaio
• 1895 engraving by Sydney Parkinson
  1895 engraving by Sydney Parkinson
• Herbarium specimen
  Herbarium specimen
• Seed
  Seed
• Leaf
  Leaf
• Bark
  Bark
• Juvenile plant
  Juvenile plant

See also

• Catherine Alexander (botanist)