Pterophylla sylvicola
{{Short description|Species of tree}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2025}}
{{italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
|name = Tōwai, tawhero
|image = Towai-tree.jpg
|genus = Pterophylla (plant)
|species = sylvicola
|authority = Sol. ex A.Cunn.
|synonyms =
- Pterophylla sylvicola var. betulina {{small|(A.Cunn.) Pillon & H.C.Hopkins}}
- Weinmannia betulina {{small|A.Cunn.}}
- Weinmannia fuchsioides {{small|A.Cunn.}}
- Weinmannia sylvicola {{small|Sol. ex A.Cunn.}}
- Weinmannia sylvicola var. betulina {{small|(A.Cunn.) Hook.f.}}
|synonyms_ref = [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77234655-1 Pterophylla sylvicola (Sol. ex A.Cunn.) Pillon & H.C.Hopkins] Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 17 April 2023.
}}
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.
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. Its flowers are small and pink or white, occurring in 8–12 cm racemes. Its fruits are 4–5 cm capsules,{{cite web |title=New Zealand plant conservation network |url=http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora_details.aspx?ID=1369 |accessdate=2013-11-24}} which release many tiny seeds that are dispersed by wind.{{cite web |title=T.E.R.R.A.I.N. |url=http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/table-1/towai.html |accessdate=2013-11-24}}
Range and habitat
Tōwai occurs in forest and forest margins from North Cape south to the Waitākere Ranges west of Auckland.{{cite web |title=Flora of New Zealand |url=http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_8baefa1c-7f7d-4167-bd2d-b2acf34cf3f3&fileName=Flora%201.xml |accessdate=2013-11-24}} A closely related tree, kāmahi (P. racemosa), replaces tōwai south of latitude 37°S.{{cite web |title=Flora of New Zealand (W. Racemosa) |url=http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_ed495d52-874c-4453-b5a8-c04a6e3a45f7&fileName=Flora%201.xml |accessdate=2013-11-24}}
Gallery
File:WeinmanniaSilvicola.jpg|Foliage
File:Towai-flowers.jpg|Flowers
Weinmannia sylvicola (48752717063) (cropped).jpg|1895 botanical illustration by Sydney Parkinson
References
{{commons|Weinmannia sylvicola}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from1= Q117740331|from2=Q18009707}}