Pseudopanax arboreus, commonly known as five finger, five-finger or fivefinger (MÃÂori: puahou or whauwhaupaku), is a New Zealand native tree belonging to the family Araliaceae. It is one of New Zealand's more common native trees, being found widely in bush, scrub and gardens throughout both islands. The compound leaves with five to seven leaflets, hence the name "five finger", are very characteristic of the tree and easily recognized.
Closely related and very similar to five finger are P. laetus, P. colensoi, and P. macintyrei.
Leaflets obovate-oblong to oblong-cuneate, thinly coriaceous, coarsely serrate-dentate. Flowers usually unisexual; inflorescences are compound umbels with 8âÂÂ20 primary branchlets up to long, 15âÂÂ20 secondary rays, umbellules with 10âÂÂ15 flowers in each. Calyx truncate or obscurely 5-toothed; flowers 5mm in diameter, sweet-scented; petals 5, white to pink flushed, ovate to triangular, acute; stamens 5; ovary 2-loculed, each containing 1(-2) ovules; style branches 2, spreading. Fruit fleshy, very dark purple, laterally compressed, 5âÂÂ8 mm diam.; style branches retained on an apical disc. Seeds 2(-3) per fruit, wrinkled, 3âÂÂ6 mm long.
Pseudopanax arboreus is a host species for the caterpillar of the endemic North Island moth Declana atronivea. Pseudopanax arboreus is one of New Zealand's least flammable tree species.