Glabrous, small tree to 7 m with few branches bearing spirally arranged leaves towards their ends. Leaves imparipinnate, up to 1 m long; petiole c. 24-30 cm, terete with a sheathing base c. 6-1 cm long; petiolule 5-20 mm, leaflets oblong often broader near the base, c. 16-27 by 5-13 cm, margin entire, slightly revolute or sparsely denticulate, apex acuminate, base subcordate or truncate, often oblique, midrib and lateral veins evident. Inflorescence a large panicle; primary axis stout, rather short, with broad cataphylls, bearing several long radiating secondary branches in a sub-umbel; secondary branches c. 50 cm, with numerous tertiary branches borne in well defined verticils and in a terminal umbel, bracts triangular c. 8 mm long, caducous; tertiary branches c. 4-7 cm with small bracts near the middle; umbellules with c. 10-15 flowers, on pedicels 1-4 mm long. Calyx a minute rim. Petals 5, 2.5 mm long. Stamens 5, anthers oblong, c. 1-1½ mm long. Ovary turbinate, c. 1 mm long, 2-celled; styles 2, at first erect, later recurved. Fruit globose, fleshy, black, compressed, c. 4 by 7 mm when dry; styles persistent.
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A shrub grown as a hedge and of which the young leaves are eaten. It grows up to 7 m high. The leaves are arranged in spirals towards the ends. The leaves can be 1 m long. The leaves are twice divided. The leaf stalk is 24-30 cm long. The leaf sheaths form a flat section clasping the leaf stalk. Leaf shapes, colours and size vary between species and varieties. The leaf blades are oblong and often more broad near the base. The midrib and side veins are visible. The leaf blades are 16-27 cm by 5-13 cm. The flowering stalks are large and at the ends of the branches. The flower stalks branch and radiate out. The fruit are round and fleshy and black. The leaves are like Polyscias macgillivrayi but the flower arrangement is different.
A tropical plant. It occurs in coastal areas and probably up to 1000 m altitude. It is mostly planted around houses. It occurs at Madang, Manus, New Britain and New Ireland in Papua New Guinea. Usually it is near the sea level and below 140 m altitude.
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Usually found in lowland forests and near beaches, but also at elevations up to 1,200 metres in the rainforests of New Guinea.
Usually near the beach or in lowland forest, to 140 m.
Plants are grown by cuttings. They are often used as an ornamental hedge. This plant is often used to form a hedge around their houses and gardens. Constantly picking the leaves helps maintain it as a small pruned shrub. As a shrub they grow from 2 to 5 m tall. Seeds are produced and spread by birds. These self sown seedlings are sometimes replanted.
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