Pennantia

Pennantia is the sole genus in the plant family Pennantiaceae. In older classifications, it was placed in the family Icacinaceae.^[2] Most authorities have recognised three or four species, depending on whether they recognised Pennantia baylisiana as a separate species from Pennantia endlicheri.^[3] Botanist David Mabberley has recognised two species.^[4]

Pennantia
Pennantia corymbosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Apiales
Family:	Pennantiaceae J.Agardh[1]
Genus:	Pennantia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
Type species
Pennantia corymbosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

The species are small to medium, sometimes multi-trunked trees. Leaves are alternate, leathery, and with entire or sometimes toothed margins. Inflorescences are terminal and flowers are functionally unisexual; the species are more or less dioecious.^[3]

Pennantia species grow naturally in New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and eastern Australia. In Australia, P. cunninghamii grows across a broad latitudinal natural range (nearly 3,000 km (1,900 mi)), from the south coast of New South Wales northwards through to north eastern Queensland.^{[citation needed]}

The genus name, Pennantia, is in honor of Thomas Pennant, an 18th century Welsh zoologist and author.^{[citation needed]}

Species

The following four species were recognised by New Zealand botanists Rhys O. Gardner and Peter J. de Lange in 2002.^[3]

• Pennantia baylisiana, (W.R.B.Oliv.) G.T.S.Baylis – Three Kings Islands
• Pennantia corymbosa J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., 'kaikōmako' – New Zealand
• Pennantia cunninghamii Miers, 'brown beech' – NSW, Qld, Australia
• Pennantia endlicheri Reissek – Norfolk Island