{{Short description|Species of tree endemic to New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2024}} {{speciesbox |name = Pukatea |image = Laurelia novae-zelandiae A.Cunn (AM AK300397-3).jpg |image_caption = |status = LC |status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref = <ref name = IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Svensson, M.S. |year=2025 |title=''Laurelia novae-zelandiae'' |volume=2025 |article-number=e.T61985324A61985326 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS.T61985324A61985326.en |language=en |access-date=21 May 2026}}</ref> |genus = Laurelia |species = novae-zelandiae |authority = A.Cunn. }}
'''''Laurelia novae-zelandiae''''', commonly known as '''pukatea''', is a large evergreen tree, endemic to the forests of New Zealand.<ref>http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/tall-broadleaf-trees/5 ''Te ara: Encyclopedia of New Zealand'' – Article on tall broad-leafed trees- forest giants.</ref> Pukatea has 'toothed' leaves and produces small flowers. It is a species in the Atherospermataceae (formerly Monimiaceae) family, and a typical representative of the laurel forest ecoregion.
==Taxonomy and name==
The taxon was first described by Allan Cunningham in 1838.<ref>{{cite Q|Q96028157}}</ref> The species is the only member of ''Laurelia'' found in New Zealand.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>
The name pukatea is a Polynesian word applied to a great number of plants, including ''Hernandia nymphaeifolia'' and ''Pisonia grandis''.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/> The element ''puka'' is used to describe a wide variety of plants, including ''Meryta sinclairii''.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>
==Distribution== Pukatea is endemic to New Zealand.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/> It is generally found in lowland forest and grows throughout the North Island of New Zealand, and the northern third of the South Island, usually where moisture is plentiful, such as in damp, lowland forests, gullies, and on the edges of streams.
Pukatea grows well in poorly drained soil, but is equally at home on hillsides. It requires a temperate to warm subtropical climate, but also a frost-free environment with only very slight winter frosts not below {{cvt|-4|°C}}, and with high summer heat. Growth is best on well-drained, slightly acidic soils rich in organic matter.{{cn|date=January 2026}}
==Description==
Pukatea grows slowly to a height of {{cvt|40|m}}, usually {{cvt|35|m}}, and is the only New Zealand native tree developing large plank buttresses to support the tree's growth in swamp or shallow-soil areas. ''Laurelia novae-zelandiae'' has specialised respiratory root structures called pneumatophores in certain waterlogged ground or mud. These fragrant trees are characteristic of the lower strata of the tropical rainforest. The tree has thin bark and a pale brownish-grey trunk that becomes attractively buttressed at the base. Its dark green, glossy, elliptical leaves are {{cvt|5–7|cm}} long and have coarsely serrated edges and paler undersides. The odorous opposite leaves have oil cells in the parenchyma, and brochidodromous venations. Juvenile leaves and stems can be difficult to distinguish from another native tree hutu, to which it is only distantly related. Pukatea is a mostly dioecious species, male and female flowers are on separate individuals. Some specimens had a ratio as high as 100 male flowers to every female or hermaphrodite one. These results suggest that the species is not truly dioecious. The female and hermaphrodite flowers are very similar. The flowers are tiny, inconspicuous, and in small racemes. The star-shaped flowers are light with yellow glistening glands and scarlet anther flaps. The glands at the base of the stamens in ''Laurelia novae-zelandiae'' secrete nectar that accumulates at the base of the flower. This attracts a large number of bees, blowflies, small flightless animals, and Bombyliidae to the flowers. The nectar is visible as a colourless liquid which has a glistening appearance to the outer faces of the glands. Nectar runs down from the glands and accumulates on the floor of the flower as a result of continuing secretion. The fruit are little pear-shaped capsules which contain numerous achenes attached to fine feathery strands which aid their dispersal by the wind. Often, only a few seeds are viable.
As ''Laurelia novae-zelandiae'' age, the trees often develop large hollows at the centre of their trunks.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>
==Uses==
The plant is used in rongoā (traditional Māori medicine) as an analgesic, due to the presence of the alkaloid pukateine in the bark of the tree.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/UsesOfTheBush/PlantExtracts/1/ENZ-Resources/Standard/1/en |title=Nigel Perry. 'Plant extracts', Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 2-Mar-09 – use as an analgesic |access-date=2008-06-30 |archive-date=2008-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022120050/http://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/UsesOfTheBush/PlantExtracts/1/ENZ-Resources/Standard/1/en }}</ref><ref name="MeaningTrees">{{cite q|Q118646408|pp=52-55}}</ref> The hollows at the centre of trunks were also traditionally used as burial trees.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>
The timber was used by Māori to create figureheads for canoes, as well as for bowls, clubs and paddles. The wood was also adopted by early European settlers for boat building.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/> It is rather soft, but very strong. It yields a pale hardwood that is difficult to split and will dent upon impact rather than break. Its wood is pale-yellowish, with growth rings, and is homogeneous and fine-textured. The pulp of the cambium was boiled in water and the resulting liquid used for treating tuberculosis.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} ==Alkaloids== [[File:Laureline.svg|thumb|left|150px|Laureline [81-38-9] ]] Other aporphine alkaloids that are contained within ''Laurelia novae-zelandiae'' are (-)-methylpukateine, Laurepukine [34029-94-2] & Laureline [34029-94-2].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Steinmetz, E. F. | journal=Quarterly Journal of Crude Drug Research | title=Some information concerning Laurelia Novae-Zealandiae and the alkaloids contained in its bark | volume=4 | issue=1–4 | pages=588–589 | date= January 1964 | doi=10.1080/13880206409178851}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Bernauer, K. | journal=Helvetica Chimica Acta | title=Über Alkaloide aus Laurelia novae‐zelandiae A. C UNN. 5. Mitteilung über natürliche und synthetische Isochinolinderivate | volume=50 | issue=6 | pages=1583–1588 | date= January 1967 | doi=10.1002/hlca.19670500617}}</ref>
History:<ref>{{cite journal |author=Aston, B. C. | journal=J. Chem. Soc., Trans. | title=CXXVII.—The alkaloids of the Pukatea | volume=97 | issue=0 | pages=1381–1387 | date= 1910 | doi=10.1039/CT9109701381}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Barger, G. |author2=Girardet, A. | journal=Helvetica Chimica Acta | title=Constitution de la pukatéine et de la lauréline | volume=14 | issue=1 | pages=481–504 | date= January 1931 | doi=10.1002/hlca.19310140146}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Girardet, A. | journal=Helvetica Chimica Acta | title=Constitution de la laurépukine | volume=14 | issue=1 | pages=504–510 | date= January 1931 | doi=10.1002/hlca.19310140147}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Govindachari, T. R. |author2=Nagarajan, K. |author3=Rajadurai, S. |author4=Rao, U. R. | journal=Chemische Berichte | title=Synthese von 3.4‐Dimethoxy‐6.7‐methylendioxy‐aporphin | volume=91 | issue=1 | pages=36–39 | date= January 1958 | doi=10.1002/cber.19580910107}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Schlittler, E. | journal=Helvetica Chimica Acta | title=Synthese von l‐Laurelin | volume=15 | issue=1 | pages=394–402 | date= January 1932 | doi=10.1002/hlca.19320150135}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Faltis, F. |author2=Wagner, G. |author3=Adler, E. | journal=Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft (A and B Series) | title=Die Synthese eines Isomeren des Laurelins | volume=77 | issue=9–10 | pages=686–698 | date=31 January 1945 | doi=10.1002/cber.19450770906}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> Laurelia novae-zelandiae 11.JPG|Leaves of a pukatea seedling Laurelia novae-zelandiae 12.JPG|The buttressed trunk of a pukatea Laurelia novae-zelandiae 442515606.jpg|Stems of pukatea Laurelia novae-zelandiae 52393901.jpg|Pukatea trunk Laurelia novae-zelandiae 13.JPG|Pukatea in a forested area </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== *[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0028825X.1969.10428595 "STUDIES ON THE MONIMIACEAE II.The Floral morphology of ''Laurelia novae-zelandiae'' A. Cunn. (SUBFAMILY ATHEROSPERMOIDEAE)" by F.B. Sampson, in ''New Zealand Journal of Botany'', September 1969 Item 20: pages 214–240 – pdf format.]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1005204}}
Category:Atherospermataceae Category:Trees of New Zealand Category:Plants described in 1838 Category:Plants used in traditional Māori medicine Category:Endemic flora of New Zealand Category:Least concern flora of New Zealand Category:Taxa named by Allan Cunningham (botanist)