About Alseuosmia pusilla Colenso
Alseuosmia pusilla Colenso is a small shrub that grows up to 50 cm tall. It rarely produces only one or two branches. It bears glossy green leaves that may have red margins, five-lobed white or green flowers that have a sweet scent, and red fruit. This species occurs in the North Island of New Zealand, south of Te Moehau and Mt Pirongia, and in the northwest corner of the South Island. It inhabits montane areas, growing at elevations up to 950 m, and is most commonly found in beech or podocarp forests. The leaf shape of Alseuosmia pusilla may act as a Batesian mimic of the toxic plant Pseudowintera colorata. It evolved to have a similar leaf shape as a defense against herbivory. Currently, this mimicry functions to protect the plant from introduced mammalian herbivores in New Zealand, and it may have also served as a defense against moa in prehistoric times.
