Herbivore damage and leaf loss in the New Zealand pepper tree ('kawakawa',Macropiper excelsum, Piperaceae)

The pattern of herbivore damage on the New Zealand pepper tree (kawakawa; M acropiper excelsum) caused by its main insect herbivore (Cleora scriptaria) was investigated in the field and laboratory. In the field, only a small p roportion of kawakawa leaves had no herbivore damage and C. scriptaria typi cally produced a number of small holes in each leaf. Leaves were shed at a rapid rate but leaf shedding was not increased by higher levels of herbivor e damage. Some alder leaves had less damage than would be expected for thei r age, possibly suggesting some variation in leaf susceptibility to herbivo ry. The effect of previous leaf damage on subsequent herbivory was examined in the field and laboratory. On no occasion did artificial leaf damage, or herbivory by larvae of the same or another species, affect the edibility o f leaves to C. scriptaria. The results suggest that leaf shedding by kawaka wa was not primarily a response to herbivore damage and induced defences ag ainst herbivores could not be demonstrated in this system.