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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Griselinia''
| image = Griselinia littoralis.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Griselinia littoralis'' foliage and flowers
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Apiales]]
| familia = Griseliniaceae
| genus = '''''Griselinia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Georg Forster|G.Forst.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''Griselinia carlomunozii''<br/>
''Griselinia jodinifolia''<br/>
''Griselinia littoralis''<br/>
''Griselinia lucida''<br/>
''Griselinia racemosa''<br/>
''Griselinia ruscifolia''<br/>
''Griselinia scandens''
}}
'''''Griselinia''''' is a genus of seven species of [[shrub]]s and [[tree]]s, with a highly disjunct distribution native to [[New Zealand]] and [[South America]]. It is a classic example of the [[Antarctic flora]].
It is the sole genus in the family '''Griseliniaceae'''; in the past it was often placed in the [[Cornaceae]] (dogwood family, order [[Cornales]]), but differs from that in many features; recent genetic evidence from the [[Angiosperm Phylogeny Group]] has shown that it is correctly placed in the [[Apiales]].
The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[evergreen]], smooth and glossy above, often paler below. The [[flower]]s are very small, with five sepals and stamens and a single stigma, but no petals. The [[fruit]] is a small [[berry]].
;New Zealand species
The two New Zealand species are large shrubs or trees, from 4-20 m tall. Both trees are or can be [[epiphytic]] or [[hemiphytic]]. Though sometimes occurring on rocky outcrops or coastal cliffs G.lucida is almost exclusively so. The young tree often colonizes amongst other epiphytes like [[Collospermum]] and [[Astelia]] high in the forest canopy, before growing aerial roots down the trunk of its host. Upon contact with the ground the roots can become large - up to 250mm thick, and are easily identified for their heavy length wise corrugations. G.lucida seldom becomes a freestanding tree if having begun life epiphytically, and can often be seen to have collapsed where the host has died.
Epiphytic growth in G.littoralis is less common but does occur in wetter climates.
The vernacular names are of [[Māori]] origin.
*''G. littoralis'' - [[Kapuka]]; leaves 6-14 cm long.
*''G. lucida'' - [[Akapuka]]; differs from ''G. littoralis'' in larger leaves, to 12-18 cm long.
;South American species
The five South American species are smaller shrubs, 1-5 m tall. All are known as [[Yelmo]].
*''G. carlomunozii'' - coastal northern [[Chile]] ([[Antofagasta Region|Antofagasta]])
*''G. jodinifolia'' - Chile
*''G. racemosa'' - southern Chile ([[Los Lagos Region|Los Lagos]], [[Aisén Region|Aisén]]) and adjacent [[Argentina]] (western [[Chubut Province|Chubut]])
*''G. ruscifolia'' - Argentina, Chile, southeast [[Brazil]]
*''G. scandens'' - central and southern Chile
==External links==
* Pictures of [http://www.chilebosque.cl/shrb/gjodi.html ''Griselinia jodinifolia''] and [http://www.chilebosque.cl/epiv/grace.html ''Griselinia racemosa''] from ''Chilebosque''.
{{commons|Griselinia racemosa}}
[[Category:Apiales]]