Pseudopanax crassifolius

Pseudopanax crassifolius, also known as horoeka or lancewood, is a heteroblastic tree belonging to the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand and found throughout the country from sea level up to about 750 metres (2,460 feet) in lowland to montane shrublands and forests. The juvenile form, which lasts between 15 and 20 years, is easily recognised. The leaves are stiff and leathery with a prominent central rib, about 1 cm wide and up to 1 m long with irregular teeth, all growing downwards from a central stem. The young trunk has characteristic vertical swollen ridges. As the tree gets older the stem begins to branch, producing a bushy top. The leaves also become wider and shorter, losing their teeth. It is only when the tree is mature that it adopts a typical tree shape. The difference between the juvenile and adult tree's appearance is so drastic that the two forms were initially described as separate species and even genera by early botanists, including the botanists accompan......read more on Wikipedia.