Alectryon excelsus

Alectryon excelsus, commonly known as tītoki, New Zealand ash, or the New Zealand oak, is a species of tree in the family Sapindaceae. It reaches 20 metres (66 feet) in height. It is endemic to New Zealand; its range mainly covers the North Island, but is also present in the South Island with the Banks Peninsula being its southern limit. There are two recognised subspecies of this plant: A. excelsus subsp. excelsus native to mainland New Zealand, and subsp. grandis native to the Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands. A. excelsus has glossy alternating leaves. The seeds are found in brown seed capsules which split when mature. The plant was first described by the German botanist Joseph Gaertner in 1788. A. excelsus's pollination strategy is not certain. The seeds are dispersed by fruit-eating animals (frugivores), such as birds. A. excelusus was traditionally prized by indigenous Māori people, and they especially valued the oil. A. excelsus subsp. excelsus's 2023 assessment in the New Zeala......read more on Wikipedia.