Source of names: Rangiora is a member of the Aster family of plants (Asteraceae) and includes asters, daisies and sunflowers. Brachyglottis means ‘short tongue’ and refers to the small size of the ray florets within the flowers. The species name repanda means ‘undulating edges’ and refers to the margins of the broad leaves. The MāoriContinue reading “Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Brachyglottis repanda, Rangiora”
Category Archives: Trees and Shrubs
Public Redwood Bush walk, hosted by FOTBR on 4 December 2022
It was such a pleasure to go on this guided walk the other day! The weather was perfect for a wee walk in the bush, and boy did we learn a lot along the way. Gil Roper is a fount of knowledge on the history and plants in this area and we were really luckyContinue reading “Public Redwood Bush walk, hosted by FOTBR on 4 December 2022”
Have you sighted the flowering rātā tree from Takapu Road?
This remaining northern rata was one of many trees of this species, along with rimu trees that dominated the native bush in the Tawa area at the time of European settlement from the 1840s onwards. It’s probably the largest remaining northern rātā in the wider Tawa region. However, trees were felled for local use andContinue reading “Have you sighted the flowering rātā tree from Takapu Road?”
Do you recognise these podocarp seedlings?
Podocarps are conifers that reproduce by bearing cones and fruit. The nursery is in full production with podocarp seedlings at various stages of development. These have all been sourced locally from seed or young seedlings that have been subsequently potted on. See if you can match the correct name to the right seedling in theContinue reading “Do you recognise these podocarp seedlings?”
Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Myrsine australis, red matipo, māpou, māpau
Source of names: ‘Ma’ = free of tapu, ‘pou’ = stick. Young plants are used for ceremonial purposes such as karakia. Special Features an endemic shrub growing up to 6m tall, they are very obvious because of their young reddish-brown stems that bear pale green leaves that have a leathery texture and wavy edges leavesContinue reading “Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Myrsine australis, red matipo, māpou, māpau”
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”
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”
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”
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”
Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Tawa
The tree after which our suburb is named. Beilschmiedia tawa or tawa is a dominant canopy tree in the Tawa native bush reserves. The Genus name Beilschmieda is after Carl T Beilschmied (1793 – 1848), a Polish botanist. The species name tawa is a Māori word meaning ‘to be purple’, relating to the colour ofContinue reading “Know the native trees in Tawa reserves with Gil Roper – Tawa”
Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves 