Nature's Corner - Mid Spring 2004
New Spring Things
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| Poroporo (Solanum laciniatum). |
This is an exciting time to be visiting the valley with many trees and plants flowering or coming into flower and birds of all species at different stages of breeding.
Most of the birds who will pair this season have already done so. Some birds are still nest-building while others are busy incubating eggs. Some are busy feeding chicks and others have already fledged their first clutch of the season.
The pipiwharauroa (shining cuckoos) have arrived back and are being very vocal. The first tieke (saddleback) and toutouwai (North Island robins) of the season have been banded and there are pateke (brown teal) families with ducklings on both lakes and at the Taylor Wetlands.
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| Pikirangi germinating |
Mistletoe Germinating
Pikirangi / Mistletoe (Ileostylus micranthus). Some of the seed of this small-flowered mistletoe placed on hosts earlier this year is germinating.
Flowerbuds Forming
Tutu (Coriaria arborea). New catkin-like flowerbuds are forming. See the bush on the hill side, overhanging Lake Road just south of the short white fence.
Porokaiwhiri / pigeonwood (Hedycarya arborea). Pale green flowerbuds are visible among the darker leaves. The best specimens are at the northern end of Tui Terrace.
What is Flowering?
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| Poroporo flowers |
Poroporo (Solanum laciniatum). The deep purple flowers of this small shrub are beginning to appear. Throughout the valley but also in the garden bed at the side of the car-park and beside the Visitor Centre.
Ngaio (Myoporum laetum). Starry white flowers are to been seen on all the ngaio trees planted along Lake Road.
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| Rangiora in flower |
Rangiora (Brachyglottis repanda). Now in full flower throughout the valley and along Lake Road. Large clusters of tiny, fluffy, cream flowers.
Kowhai (Sophora microphylla). Two large trees on either side of the top dam and a grove at the beginning of the Round the Lake Track before the hides are now finishing flowering.
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| Kotukutuku flowers turning red after they have been fertilized |
The NZ Tree fuchsia / kotukutuku (Fuchsia excorticata). Fresh flowers in full nectar production are green with purple markings. The flowers change colour to pink or red when fertilized with pollen and nectar production has ceased. They are then more noticeable to walkers. Look for the trees with the distinctive flaking reddish-brown bark on their trunks and the red flowers that have fallen on the ground along the Swamp and Te Mahanga Tracks and on Lake Road in the vicinity of the Beech Track.
Hangehange (Geniostoma rupestre). Throughout the valley - clusters of pale green buds opening to small, starry, pale green, scented flowers.
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| Rengarenga lily flowers |
Rengarenga / Rengarenga lily (Arthropodium cirratum). Coming into flower in the garden plots in the carpark and around the Visitor Centre.
Whauwhaupaku / Five Finger (Pseudopanax arboreus). Throughout the valley. Purply-black flower buds opening to pale green flowers. Check out the male tree half way along the fence on the left in the Heritage area.
Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium). Green buds opening to dark purple flowers that turn almost black as they age. Throughout the valley but look for the tree along the fence at the Heritage area.
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| Male kawakawa flowers |
Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum). Throughout the valley. The green 'candles' are packed with minute buds. A proportion are flowering - the tall slender males shedding pollen, the females catching it on translucent white stigmas.
Akeake (Dodonaea viscosa). On the hill-side of Lake Road just south of the shag tree. This is now covered with small reddish-brown flowers.
Rewarewa (Knightia excelsa). New red flower buds forming. Best seen on the tree overhanging the stream on the west side of the second bridge from the southern end of the Te Mahanga Track.
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| Mikoikoi flowers. |
Mikoikoi (Libertia grandiflora). Now coming into flower. Throughout the valley but most easily seen on Valley View track
Karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus). Beside Lake Road on the northern side of the Union Mine Track. Small creamy-green flowers were beginning to open in early September.
Tarata / Lemonwood (Pittosporum eugenioides). Throughout the valley, but look for the bush overhanging the fence at the Heritage area with clusters of spiky cream flowers.
Makomako (Aristotelia serrata). Throughout the valley and along Lake Road. Clusters of small green-white buds opening to white flowers which change to wine-red as they mature.
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| Panakenake flowers. |
Panakenake (Pratia angulata). Starry-white asymmetrical flowers on the groundcover in the garden plots in the lower valley.
Vines
Puataua (Clematis forsteri). On the left on the bank above the road two bends past the listening posts. Another of New Zealand's native clematis. Rare in the Sanctuary.
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| Kaihua flowers. |
Kaihua / New Zealand Jasmine (Parsonsia heterophylla). Now coming into flower. Throughout the valley but look for the creamy yellow, tubular flowers (perfumed) on the vine on the totara beside the lawn above the Heritage area.
Tataramoa / Bush lawyer (Rubus cissoides). Now in full flower throughout the valley. For the best view look for the vine on the lake-side below the road just before the beginning of the Valley View track or on the tree on the left of the entrance to the kaka feeders at the base of the top dam.
New season's fruit forming
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| Karewao / Supplejack fruit |
Karewao / Kareao / supplejack (Ripogonum scandens). Clusters of new season's fruit are forming. Throughout the valley but easily seen along both the Beech and Swamp Tracks.
Kanono (Coprosma grandifolia). Medium sized pale-green fruit on the female trees throughout the valley and especially along Lake Road.
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| Akakura seed capsules forming |
Akakura / scarlet rata vine (Metrosideros fulgens). The flowers previously seen around the western fenceline, on the western slopes above the Lower Lake and on the Round the Lake Track, have dropped their bright orange-red stamens and are developing into seed capsules.
Porokaiwhiri / Pigeonwood (Hedycarya arborea). Bunches of dark glossy green berries are developing. Best seen on the trees along the roadside through the weka gate as you approach the southern section of the Valley View track.
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| Tutukiwi orchid (Pterostylis banksii) |
Orchids
Tutukiwi (Pterostylis banksii). One of several greenhood orchids native to New Zealand. Currently flowering (mid November) along the banks at the top of the Beech Track and in several parts of the valley.
Flaxes
Harakeke / Swamp Flax (Phormium tenax) and Wharariki / Coastal flax / Mountain flax (Phormium cookianum). Flax occurs throughout the valley and is now in or coming into flower. Of the two species of flax, wharariki by far the most common in the Sanctuary, being most abundant on the higher slopes toward the southern end of the valley. Of the flaxes in the planted areas the smaller, softer, light green plants with the twisted leaves are wharariki and the larger and stronger looking plants are harakeke.
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| Ponga frond (koru). |
Ferns
Ponga / silver fern (Cyathea dealbata) Multiple new fronds are now emerging on these ferns. Ponga are our national fern emblem. Throughout the valley, but easily seen on Valley View, Beech, Round the Lake and Fuchsia tracks. Note the silvery-white underside to the mature fern fronds.
Manamana or hen and chickens fern (Asplenium bulbiferum). Small plantlets called bulbils (chickens) are appearing on many leaf fronds - plants can be seen throughout the valley, but especially along the Te Mahanga and Swamp Tracks.
Nature's Corner is written by Sanctuary volunteers Pam Fuller and Allison Buchan.
© All photographs, except where indicated, Karori Wildlife Sanctuary.
Clicking on photos with blue borders will take you to a larger photo.
Published 16 November, 2004. Updated 5 December 2004.