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Piper excelsum
Kawakawa/Pepper tree
It can be found growing from coastal areas to lowland (extending up 500 m. a.s.l. in warmer parts of the country). It is usually an important understorey species in coastal forests. New Zealand's subspecies is a small, densely branched, aromatic, dioecious tree with large heart-shaped fleshy leaves growing up to 5 meters. It has tiny flowers which are on upright catkin-like spikes and occur on separate male & female plants. The fruit which is only on female trees (2 to 5 cm) long is a whole lot of little fruit clustered on a central stem, green at first but changing to orange when ripe The seed in the soft, orange spikes that are a favoured food of many birds in late summer and are dispersed by them.
The root, fruit, seeds, and especially the leaves of the kawakawa plant were favourite medicinal remedies of the Māori. In fact, the kawakawa is one of the only plants still used by the Maori people today.
Externally, Kawa Kawa was used for healing cuts and wounds, as an ingredient in vapour baths, and also as an insect repellent. Internally, it was found to be effective as a blood purifier in cases of eczema, boils, cuts, wounds, rheumatism, neuralgia, ringworm, itching sore feet, and all forms of kidney and skin ailments. The leaves were chewed to alleviate a toothache. The bruised leaves drew pus from boils and skin infections. A drink made from the leaves helped stomach problems and rheumatics when rubbed on joints. The leaf, if dried and burnt is an insect repellent. The name kawakawa in Māori refers to the bitter taste of the leaves. kawakawa is also used by the Māori for ceremonies, including removing tapu, and as a symbol of death, a garland of greenery worn by women at tangihanga. The leaves are often covered with insect holes due to damage by Kawakawa looper moth caterpillar.
Lophomyrtus bullata
Ramarama
An endemic species of evergreen myrtle shrub which grows to a height of 8m. Its scientific name bullata is from the Latin word meaning bubble. Lophomyrtus bullata habits the North and South Islands but are scarce in the South Island where it ranges to about North Canterbury and Greymouth. It is found in coastal and lowland forests margins and stream banks.
The branches are numerous, erect, and compactly branched. It has thick leathery, glossy, blistered leaves that are broad oval-shaped dark green to yellow-green, mottled, and/or spotted with red, maroon, or purple-black circular blemishes (2.5-5 cm long).
White or pale pink open cup-shaped flowers 12 mm across appear from November to March. The flowers of this plant are hermaphrodites (have both male and female organs). The petals are dotted with tiny warts. Dark reddish-purple (becoming black) and many-seeded berries (10mm) appear from January to June. Edible parts of Lophomyrtus bullata are the fruit raw or cooked. They taste very much like guava when they are fully ripe. The Maori used a decoction which was of benefit in treating bruises. Small black berries also added flavour when cooking the starchy material obtained from fern roots.
Geniostoma ligustrifolium
Hangehange/Māori privet
Hangehange is a bushy shrub up to 4 m in height with slender brittle branches found mainly in lowland and coastal forests from the North Island to Marlborough. The bright greens opposite shiny pointed oval leaves are 4-8 cm long and are soft and shiny. It has tiny, greenish-white, perfumed, slightly hairy flowers in spring. The flowers are borne in groups (cymes) up to 3 cm in diameter at the base of leaves and along the branches and trunk of the bush (cauliflorous).
Each flower has five, 3 mm long sepals that alternate with five petals that are joined into a 6 mm long green-to-white tube with spreading, hairy lobes. Five short stamens are around a single ovary. The black fruit develops late summer and is a 4-6 mm diameter dry capsule that splits into 2 valves. When the seed capsule opens it reveals seeds that are held within an enlarged pulpy placenta exposing only their dark tips. Traditional use by the Māori - To impart a distinctive flavour to the meal, food was wrapped in the shiny leaves prior to steaming in the hangi. Its sap was applied to the skin and the bark was used to reduce itching.
Elatostema rugosum
Parataniwha/Native begonia
Parataniwha is a member of the nettle family. It is a herbaceous ground cover plant and is one of our very few perennials. It grows up to 1m tall in wet shaded areas such as damp shady streamsides and gullies. It can form large colonies and is often the dominant groundcover vegetation. It has large prominently veined bronze-green leaves (8-25 cm long) with purple tonings. The distinctive rough leaves give rise to the taniwha part of the common name because taniwha means shark (after the sharks' rough skin). Parataniwha is found naturally only in the North Island.
Ferns
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