Editing Pseudowintera (section)

==Use and history==

''Pseudowintera'' is one of the major plants used in traditional [[Māori culture|Māori]] medicine.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/> The name horopito appears to be unique to [[Māori language]], as there is no evidence of its use in other [[Polynesian language]]s to describe similar plants.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>

''Pseudowintera'' is known to be a deterrent against introduced [[deer]], who refuse to consume the plant. Because of this, ''Pseudowintera'' has grown to dominate the understory of some forested areas of New Zealand.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/> The unrelated species ''[[Alseuosmia pusilla]]'' which has a similar appearance to ''Pseudowintera'' may have undergone [[Batesian mimicry]] in response to predation pressures, either from deer or earlier hypothesised predation by [[moa]] species.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>

''[[Pseudowintera colorata]]'' is the most commonly used species for culinary use, which produces a numbing spiciness when the leaves are chewed.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/> Horopito leaves are typically dried and then ground to form a powder. The powder may be used wherever black pepper is used and applied directly to meats, mixed with oils, used to make condiments (e.g. with mustard), in vinegars, biscuits, and as flavouring for beer and ice-cream.<ref name="MeaningTrees"/>