Aristotelia serrata

Aristotelia serrata
Foliage and flowers of Aristotelia serrata

Not Threatened (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Elaeocarpaceae
Genus: Aristotelia
Species:
A. serrata
Binomial name
Aristotelia serrata
J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
Synonyms

Aristotelia serrata, commonly known as wineberry and makomako, is a species of small tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae. It is a fast-growing dioecious tree which can be semideciduous. It is endemic to New Zealand. Its range mainly covers the North, South, and Stewart Islands. A. serrata is typically found in lowland to montane environments, and the plant can freely colonise disturbed areas. The tree can reach up to 10 metres (30 feet) tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 30 cm (12 in). The bark is grey or pale brown, smooth, and patterned with flat lenticels.

Aristotelia serrata was first described by the German botanists Georg and Johann Foster in 1776 as Dicera serrata, but Walter Oliver gave its current binomial name in 1921. Flowering occurs from September to December, with fruits ripening in summer. A. serrata's flowers change from a white-pink colour to a dark red colour, possibly to better adapt them for pollinators. The fruits are dispersed by fruit-eating animals (fruigivores), such as birds. The conservation status of A. serrata was assessed in 2023 in the New Zealand Threat Classification System as "Not Threatened".