Pittosporum ellipticum subsp. serpentinum (Pittosporaceae) —a new ultramafic endemic from the Surville Cliffs, North Cape, New Zealand

Abstract

A new subspecies, Pittosporum ellipticum subsp. serpentinum, is described from the Surville Cliffs, North Cape Scientific Reserve, Northland, New Zealand. The new subspecies is a scarce component of the vegetation of the ultramafic rocks of the Tangihua Complex ophiolite sequence. It is distinguished from P. ellipticum subsp. ellipticum by its sprawling shrub habit, smaller, extremely coriaceous leaves with a persistent, copious, dark orange‐brown, leaf indumentum, and smaller, globose capsules, with persistent indumentum.

Keywords:

• Pittosporum ellipticum subsp. serpentinum
• new subspecies
• P. ellipticum subsp. ellipticum
• P. ellipticum subsp. ovatum
• Pittosporaceae
• ultramafic endemic
• taxonomy
• conservation
• New Zealand flora