Kaikomako

Pennantia corymbosa

Kaikomako of the Tangihua forest are found.

No idea

Kaikomako description

Kaikomako has two stages

• a juvenile stage where it looks like a straggly twiggy plant branches going everywhere. They can reach as high as 2-3m before the adult stage kicks in.
• The adult tree stem rows up through juvenile stage as a slender tree growing to 12m. it is a canopy tree. The juvenile branches fall off but at times the tree will have both stages and types of leaves on them.

The tree can have fungus growing on the bark.

Kaikomako leaves and bark

The leaves of the juvenile Kaikomako are 7-15mm long and 5-10mm wide, duck foot shaped with about 3- 5 lumps on the top edge, hence one of the plants nick names Ducks foot

The adult Kaikomako leaves thick leathery 5-10cm by 1-4cm wide.

Kaikomako Flowers and fruit

The white flowers occur in panicles 4-8cm long. They have male, female and bisexual flowers on separate trees and are wind pollinated . The tree tends to flower heavily November to February.

The shiny black fruit is a favourite food for bellbirds, hence another name for the tree is bellbird tree.

Kaikomako Uses

The wood of this tree was used for lighting fires, A sharp Kaikomako stick was quickly rubbed along a piece of Mahoe untill a groove formed and filled with fine dust settling at one end. If it was rubbed vigorously it would smoke and could be fanned into a flame.