Re: New Zealand Flora
Tim wrote:
>All these trees with distinct juvenile stages seem to be slow
>growing and take many years to change to the adult form, but it is worth
>the wait if you are patient. A few however, such as the lancewood
>(Pseudopanax crassifolius or the even more unusual P. ferox), with their
>pendulous very long and very narrow leaves, are probably more interesting
>in their juvenile forms than as adult trees. Weird though.
I've yet to appreciate these two species. All of my friends rave
about them incessantly, leaving me feeling decidedly inadequate
because for the life of me, I can't warm to them under any
circumstances. I even spent an hour P. crassifolius down on the sea
front a year or so ago, but to no avail. It is one 'kiwi' plant I
cannot like.
Dave Poole
TORQUAY UK
