Plants in the Rakaia Gorge
Plants of course need our protection as well. There are throughout the Rakaia Gorge weeds and trees not native to the area. While some of them might be useful, such as broom and gorse, as nursery plants others might take over like pines, elderberry and rowans. They need to be controlled and maybe even eliminated. But then it might be argued that elderberry and rowan provide a rich food source for the birds.
However to attract native birds and provide them with enough food new plantings of native trees needs to be done. That includes kowhai and flaxes on which the bellbirds rely for the nectar they feed on.
However to attract native birds and provide them with enough food new plantings of native trees needs to be done. That includes kowhai and flaxes on which the bellbirds rely for the nectar they feed on.
List of plants in the Rakaia Gorge as compiled by Colin Burrows. There is also a comprehensive list of plants on iNaturalist.nz.
Trees
Aristotelia serrata: makomako, wineberry
Carpodetus serratus: putaputaweta, marble leaf
Cordyline australis: ti kouka, cabbage tree
Griselinia littoralis: kapuka, broadleaf
Hokeria augustissima: lacebark
Olearia paniculata: golden akeake or akiraho
Pittosporum tenuifolium: kohuhu
Pseudopanax arboreus: five finger
P. crassifolium: lancewood
Schefflera digitata: pate, seven finger
Sophora microphylla: kowhai
Vines
Calystegia tuguriorum: NZ convolvulus
Clematis foetida: lemon clematis
Muehlenbeckia australis: pohuehue
Parsonsia capsularis: aka kiore
Rubus squarrosus: lawyer
Shrubs
Coprosma linariifolia: miki miki, yellow wood
C. lucida: shining c.
C. propinqua: miki miki
C. Robusta: karamu
c. rotundifolia: round leaved c.
Corokia cotoneaster: korokio
Hebe salicifolia: koromiko
Helickrysum lanceolatum: niniao
Herbs
Acaena sp.: bidibidi
Anthropodium: dandidum: dainty lily
Astelia fragrans: bush lily
Cardamine sp.: cress
Carex sp.: sedge
Coriaria sarmentosa: tutu
Gingedia geniculate: climbing g.
Haloragis erecta: toatoa
Hydrocotyle sp.
Libertia ixioides: bush iris
Phormium tenax: harakeke, flax
Po asp.: small poa grass
Uncinia uncinate: hook sedge
U. sp.
Ferns
Aspenium flabellifolium, butterfly fern
Aspenium Gracillimum
Aspenium Hookerianum
Aspenium Terrestre
Blechnum chambersii: hard ferns
Aspenium Fluviatile: hard ferns
Cyclosorus sp.
Cystopteris sp.
Microsorum pustulatum: tongue fern
Polystichum richardii: shild fern
P. vestitum: shield fern
Pteredium esuleatum: bracken fern
Trees
Aristotelia serrata: makomako, wineberry
Carpodetus serratus: putaputaweta, marble leaf
Cordyline australis: ti kouka, cabbage tree
Griselinia littoralis: kapuka, broadleaf
Hokeria augustissima: lacebark
Olearia paniculata: golden akeake or akiraho
Pittosporum tenuifolium: kohuhu
Pseudopanax arboreus: five finger
P. crassifolium: lancewood
Schefflera digitata: pate, seven finger
Sophora microphylla: kowhai
Vines
Calystegia tuguriorum: NZ convolvulus
Clematis foetida: lemon clematis
Muehlenbeckia australis: pohuehue
Parsonsia capsularis: aka kiore
Rubus squarrosus: lawyer
Shrubs
Coprosma linariifolia: miki miki, yellow wood
C. lucida: shining c.
C. propinqua: miki miki
C. Robusta: karamu
c. rotundifolia: round leaved c.
Corokia cotoneaster: korokio
Hebe salicifolia: koromiko
Helickrysum lanceolatum: niniao
Herbs
Acaena sp.: bidibidi
Anthropodium: dandidum: dainty lily
Astelia fragrans: bush lily
Cardamine sp.: cress
Carex sp.: sedge
Coriaria sarmentosa: tutu
Gingedia geniculate: climbing g.
Haloragis erecta: toatoa
Hydrocotyle sp.
Libertia ixioides: bush iris
Phormium tenax: harakeke, flax
Po asp.: small poa grass
Uncinia uncinate: hook sedge
U. sp.
Ferns
Aspenium flabellifolium, butterfly fern
Aspenium Gracillimum
Aspenium Hookerianum
Aspenium Terrestre
Blechnum chambersii: hard ferns
Aspenium Fluviatile: hard ferns
Cyclosorus sp.
Cystopteris sp.
Microsorum pustulatum: tongue fern
Polystichum richardii: shild fern
P. vestitum: shield fern
Pteredium esuleatum: bracken fern
Maori Onion, not many around of these. Very much hidden in long grass. Just by chance I came across this one.
