VII. Rainforest Hardwood Shrubs - subcanopy dominants

Steepslope hardwoods in Fiordland/Westland

Pigeonwood/Porokaiwhiri

Pigeonwood - Hedycarya arborea - with organge rose-hip shaped berries used as 'famine food' by NZ pigeons/keruru (Courtesy Stan Shebs Wikicommons)
Pigeonwood/Porokaiwhiri - Hedycarya arborea - with organge rose-hip shaped berries used as 'famine food' by NZ pigeons/keruru (Courtesy Stan Shebs Wikicommons)

Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus)

Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus) foliage. It has smooth, whitish bark, purple berries and is a forest pioneer
Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus) foliage. It has smooth, whitish bark, purple berries and is a forest pioneer (Courtesy Kahuroa WikiCommons)

Manatu/ribbonwood

Manatu/ribbonwood (Plagianthus regius) foliage can grow up to 17m and is NZ's tallest deciduous tree
Manatu/ribbonwood (Plagianthus regius) foliage can grow up to 17m and is NZ's tallest deciduous tree (Courtesy Andre Chalmers WikiCommons)

Makomako/Wineberry (Aristotelia serrata)

Wineberry seedling on the Fox Glacier Chalet Lookout Path
Wineberry/makomako seedling on the Fox Glacier Chalet Lookout Path
Makomako, or wineberry (Aristotelia serrata) foliage - a fast-growing, semi-deciduous tree of forest clearings and edges (
Makomako, or wineberry (Aristotelia serrata) foliage - a fast-growing, semi-deciduous tree of forest clearings and edges (Courtesy Te Ara)

Giant fuscia tree (Kōtukutuku - Fuchsia excorticata)

Giant fuscia tree near Ackers Point on Stewart Island
Giant fuscia tree (Kōtukutuku - Fuchsia excorticata) near Ackers Point on Stewart Island
The scruffy peeling bark of F. excorticata on the Rakiura Track west of Lee Bay, Stewart Island.
The scruffy peeling bark of F. excorticata on the Rakiura Track west of Lee Bay, Stewart Island.

Pate - Schefflera digitata

Pate - Schefflera digitata - seedling, Fox Glacier Chalet Lookout path. Leaves lack leathery look and prominent midveins of mature plant.
Pate - Schefflera digitata - seedling, Fox Glacier Chalet Lookout path. Leaves lack leathery look and prominent midveins of mature plant.

Kapuka/New Zealand broadleaf - Griselinia littoralis

Kapuka/New Zealand broadleaf - Griselinia littoralis - foiage and seedhead (Courtesy Terrain).
Kapuka/New Zealand broadleaf - Griselinia littoralis - foiage and seedhead (Courtesy Terrain).

Pokaka (Elaeocarpus hookerianus)

 

 

Elaeocarpus = olive-seed

 

Small tree with distinct small narrow glossy olive-green and brown wavy leaves to 5cm long on zig zagging interlacing branches on juvenile plants that then develop much larger adult leaves 3-11cm long by 1-3cm wide on straight erect twigs. Flowers white, lacy, drooping, in small sprays. Fruit dark purple, oval. (NZPCN)

 

Like many other New Zealand trees it has a distinctive juvenile form where its branches are interlaced and have tiny leaves Wiki

Pōkākā - Elaeocarpus hookerianus - with juvenile foliage at the base and adult leaves near the top(Courtesy WikiCommons Rudolph89)
Pōkākā - Elaeocarpus hookerianus - with juvenile foliage at the base and adult leaves near the top(Courtesy WikiCommons Rudolph89)

Tarata/Lemonwood (Pittosporum eugeniodes)

Possibly Pittosporum eugeniodes (Lemonwood) on the Taupo Head walk, Golden Bay.
Possibly Pittosporum eugeniodes (Lemonwood) on the Taupo Head walk, Golden Bay.

Puahou/Five Finger (Pseudopanax arboreus)

Five Finger/Puahou - Pseudopanax arboreus - on the Hydro Walk, Golden Bay.
Five Finger/Puahou - Pseudopanax arboreus - on the Hydro Walk, Golden Bay.

 

To: New Zealand Mammals and Birds


For other shrubs, trees, etc take the

Temperate Rain Forest Tour