Author Archives: Friends of Tawa Bush

Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Geniostoma ligustrifolium var. ligustrifolium,  Hangehange, Māori privet

A common shrub up to 3m high, it is commonly found at the edge of bush and along the tracks. Leaves are oppositely positioned along the slender, brittle stems. The oval, elongated and soft, shiny lettuce-green leaves have ‘drip tips’ at the end. Source of names: Genus: genio = hairy and stoma = mouth. TheContinue reading “Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Geniostoma ligustrifolium var. ligustrifolium,  Hangehange, Māori privet”

FOTBR receives Tawa Community Civic award

FOTBR was one of the recipients of this award in the ‘Heritage and Environment’ category. Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, an awards ceremony will not take place, but people have been notified and recipients listed on the Tawa Community Board Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/tawacommunityboard The voluntary work undertaken by FOTBR, included: the development of a new walkingContinue reading “FOTBR receives Tawa Community Civic award”

Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Melicytus ramiflorus, māhoe, whitey wood

This is one of the most common sub-canopy trees in the Tawa native bush reserves. Source of names: Genus Melicytus. From Greek ‘meli’ = honey and ‘kytos’ = hollow container. It refers to the staminal nectaries of the flowers. (‘honey cave’). Species = ramiflorus meaning flowers are borne from branches. Māhoe. ‘Ma’ = shame, ‘hoe’Continue reading “Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Melicytus ramiflorus, māhoe, whitey wood”

Puriri moths – an extreme life cycle

Pūriri moths (Aenetus virescens or pepe tuna) are New Zealand’s largest endemic flying moth. Larvae hatch on the bush floor and feed on fungi. Then they climb tree trunks such as pūriri (hence their name) and burrow into the trunk where they live for several years. Pūriri trees only have a northern distribution in the North Island.Continue reading “Puriri moths – an extreme life cycle”

Tentacled stinkhorn fungi in Redwood Bush

Previously recorded in Redwood Bush in 2019, these were observed by Gil in December 2021. The stinkhorn/starfish/sea anemone saprotrophic fungi are seasonal and usually reddish-orange in colour. They grow on rotting wood and emit a foul-smelling odour to attract flies which enables dispersal of their spores. The slimy, brightly coloured fruiting bodies emerge from anContinue reading “Tentacled stinkhorn fungi in Redwood Bush”

Progress on the irrigation project at the nursery

Joanne has reported on some exciting happenings down at the nursery. James has set up the pipes in the shade houses while (ed. still cast-clad) Joanne put the “foggers” together – whilst sitting on one of the couches in the Menzshed kitchen. James returned and set up more pipes, and they actually got the systemContinue reading “Progress on the irrigation project at the nursery”

Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – tree fuchsia, kōtukutuku

Reputed to be the largest fuchsia in the world it grows up to 15m. The Genus name Fuchsia is from the German botanist Leonhart Fuchs, (1501- 1566). The species name excorticata means ‘loose barked’ while tukutuku means ‘letting go’, so both names refer to the peeling bark. It is an ‘oddball’ NZ native tree becauseContinue reading “Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – tree fuchsia, kōtukutuku”

Pest control in Tawa reserves in 2021

Denis Rogerson on Pest Control Denis reports that as for 2020, Covid-19 restrictions meant that there were fewer checks undertaken than they would have liked. However, a significant advancement in 2021 was completing the task of transferring manual records as far back as 2016 to an online data base called Trap.NZ. This has the advantageContinue reading “Pest control in Tawa reserves in 2021”

Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Thread fern – pānako

Blechnum filiforme or Icarus filiformis or pānako or thread fern is the most common, but unusual ground fern in the Tawa reserves. Its unusual features are that it is the only climbing species of Blechnum in New Zealand and it has three different types of fronds – juvenile, adult sterile and adult fertile. Blechnum speciesContinue reading “Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Thread fern – pānako”