{{Short description|Species of tree endemic to Oceania}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{bots|deny=OAbot,Citation bot}} {{Speciesbox |image = Corynocarpus similis - Dominik Maximilián Ramík - 465433717.jpeg |image_alt = Leaves of Corynocarpus similis. |genus = Corynocarpus |species = similis |authority = Hemsley }}
'''''Corynocarpus similis''''' is a species of tree in the family Corynocarpaceae, reaching {{convert|13|m|abbr=off|sigfig=1}} in height. It is endemic to Vanuatu. It was first described by the British botanist William Hemsley in 1904 in his revision of the ''Corynocarpus'' genus. It is most closely related to ''C. laevigatus'' and ''C. disimilis'', but differs due to its wider leaves and their shape. ''C. similis''{{'}}s seeds contain poisonous glucosides compounds of 3-nitropropionic acid, which are similar to those found in ''C. laevigatus''.
==Description== ''Corynocarpus similis'' is a species of tree in the family Corynocarpaceae, growing to a height of up to {{convert|13|m|abbr=off|sigfig=1}}. Its leaves have an almost leathery texture and are {{convert|15–20|cm|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|4–8|cm||abbr=on}} wide. Its flowers are 10 mm in diameter. Its sepals are spherical or rounded in character. Its fruits are edible.{{Sfn|Hemsley|1903|p=12}}
===Phytochemistry=== ''Corynocarpus similis''{{'}}s seeds contain poisonous glucosides compounds of 3-nitropropionic acid, which are similar to those found in ''C. laevigatus''.{{sfn|Cabalion|Poisson|1987|pp=189–191}}
==Taxonomy== {{cladogram|title=|caption={{centre|Cladogram showing the relationship of the species within the sole genus in the family Corynocarpaceae.{{sfn|Wagstaff|Dawson|2000|p=6}}}}|cladogram={{clade|style=font-size:110%;line-height:90%;width:320px;|label1=Corynocarpaceae |1={{clade |1={{clade |1={{clade |1=''C. rupestris'' |2=''C. cribbianus'' }}}} |2={{clade |1=''C. laevigatus'' |2='''''C. similis''''' |3=''C. dissimilis'' }} }} }}}} ''Corynocarpus similis'' was first described by British botanist William Hemsley in 1904 in his revision of the ''Corynocarpus'' genus. ''C. similis'' is similar to ''C. laevigatus'' but differs due to their wider leaves and their shape.{{Sfn|Hemsley|1903|p=12}}{{Sfn|IPNI|2025}}
''Corynocarpus'' species are found across the Pacific Islands and Australia, including: ''C. dissilmilis'' in New Caledonia, ''C. cribbianus'' in North Queensland and New Guinea, ''C. laevigatus'' in New Zealand, and ''C. rupestris'' in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland.{{sfn|Wagstaff|Dawson|2000|p=1}} In a 2000 study, ''rbcL'' sequencing reaveled that the species is most closely related to ''C. laevigatus'' and ''C. disimilis''.{{sfn|Wagstaff|Dawson|2000|p=2}}
===Etymology=== The etymology (word origin) of the genus name ''Corynocarpus'' derives from the Greek {{lang|el|koryne}}, meaning 'club', and {{lang|el|carpus}}, meaning 'fruit', translating in English to 'club fruit'.{{sfn|De Lange|2012}} The specific epithet (second part of the scientific name), ''similis'', is a Latin word meaning 'similar' or 'like'.{{Sfn|Gledhill|2008|p=363}} It is unclear why Hemsley chose this as the specific epithet since he does not provide an explanation.{{Sfn|Hemsley|1903|p=12}} It has been hypothesised that it denotes a similarity between it and ''C. laevigatus''.{{sfn|Harris|Kapoor|1990|p=50}}
==Distribution== ''Corynocarpus dissimilis'' is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands, New Britain, New Ireland, and Vanuatu.{{sfn|Wagstaff|Dawson|2000|p=1}}{{sfn|Atherton|Lockhart|McLenachan|de Lange|2015|p=1}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Works cited== '''Books''' {{Refbegin|30em}} * {{cite book |last=Gledhill |first=David |title=The Names of Plants |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date=2008 |isbn=978-0-521-68553-5 |location=Cambridge, United Kingdom |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/9780511550898/type/book |access-date=20 July 2025}} * {{cite book |last=Harris |first=Warwick |last2=Kapoor |first2=Promila |title=Nga Mahi Maori O Te Wao Nui a Tane |url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/21931991 |publisher=Botany Division |publication-place=Christchurch, New Zealand |date=1990 |isbn=0-477-02579-X}} {{Refend}} '''Journals''' {{Refbegin|30em}} * {{cite journal |last=Atherton |first=Ra |last2=Lockhart |first2=Pj |last3=McLenachan |first3=Pa |last4=de Lange |first4=Pj |last5=Wagstaff |first5=Sj |last6=Shepherd |first6=Ld |title=A molecular investigation into the origin and relationships of karaka/kōpi (''Corynocarpus laevigatus'') in New Zealand |journal=Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand |volume=45 |issue=4 |date=2015 |issn=0303-6758 |doi=10.1080/03036758.2015.1093006 |doi-access=free |pages=212–220 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03036758.2015.1093006?needAccess=true |access-date=25 July 2025}} * {{cite journal |last=Cabalion |first=P. |last2=Poisson |first2=J. |title=''Corynocarpus simili'' Hemsley, Plante Alimentaire et Toxique de Vanuatu (ex-nouvelles-hebrides) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0378874187901309 |url-access=subscription |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |publisher=Elsevier BV |volume=21 |issue=2 |year=1987 |issn=0378-8741 |doi=10.1016/0378-8741(87)90130-9 |pages=189–191}} * {{cite journal |last=Hemsley |first=W. Botting |title=On the Genus ''Corynocarpus'', Forst., with Descriptions of two New Species |journal=Annals of Botany |volume=os-17 |issue=4 |date=1903 |issn=1095-8290 |doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a088941 |doi-access=free |pages=743–760}} * {{cite journal | last=Wagstaff | first=Steven J. | last2=Dawson | first2=Murray I. | title=Classification, Origin, and Patterns of Diversification of ''Corynocarpus'' (Corynocarpaceae) Inferred from DNA Sequences | journal=Systematic Botany | publisher=American Society of Plant Taxonomists | volume=25 | issue=1 | year=2000 | issn=03636445 | jstor=2666679 | pages=134–149 |doi=10.2307/2666679 | url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/2666679 |url-access=subscription | access-date=9 February 2025}}
{{Refend}} '''Websites''' {{Refbegin|30em}} * {{cite web |last=De Lange |first=Peter |title=''Corynocarpus laevigatus''|url=https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/corynocarpus-laevigatus/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509041724/https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/corynocarpus-laevigatus/ |archive-date=9 May 2024|date=15 January 2012 |website=New Zealand Plant Conservation Network |url-status=live|access-date=5 November 2024}} * {{Cite web|author1=International Plant Names Index (IPNI)|author-link1=International Plant Names Index|year=2025|publisher=The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; and, Australian National Botanic Gardens|website=International Plant Names Index |title=''Corynocarpus similis '' Hemsl. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:69494-1/images |access-date=26 July 2025|ref={{harvid|IPNI|2025}}}} {{Refend}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q15532417}}
similis Category:Endemic flora of Vanuatu Category:Plants described in 1904