Ixerba brexioides, the sole species in the genus Ixerba, is a bushy tree with thick, narrow, serrated, dark green leaves and panicles of white flowers with a green heart. The fruit is a green capsule that splits open to reveal the black seeds partly covered with a fleshy scarlet aril against the white inside of the fruit. Ixerba is endemic to the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand. Common names used in New Zealand are tawari (or tāwari) for the tree and whakou when in flower. It is assigned to the family Strasburgeriaceae.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it poisonous?
We have no record of Tāwari being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Crossosomatales
- Family
- Strasburgeriaceae
- Genus
- Ixerba
- Species
- Ixerba brexioides
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