Kawaka

On nature trail

libocedrus plumosa, New Zealand cedar (despite not being a cedar)

Kawaka a cypress is endemic to New Zealand.

Kawaka in the Tangihua’s are found

On the nature trail.

Kawaka often occurs in association with kauri, on ridge lines, spurs, or areas of major wind throw damage.

Kawaka inhabits low land forest from Northland down to about Gisbourne and Kawhia in the North island and and Northwest Nelson.

Kawaka prefers fertile soils and soils overlying high fertility and requires open spaces such as fallen trees, slips etc to become established.

The Kawaka Status is at risk and naturally uncommon

Kawaka was milled, for its red wood used for cabinet making and roofing, almost to the point of extinction. It grows back in disturbed but shaded areas

Kawaka description

Kawakawa grows straight, up to 35m tall, with a trunk up to 2-3m in diameter, The papery bark is reddish brown and falls away in long thin ribbons.

The kawaka branches are spreading or ascending, branchlets are numerous and  arranged in dense sprays in tiers above each other. They form a pyramidal crown in young trees becoming conical, rounded or irregular in older specimens.

The Kawaka Foliage is in  flattened sprays except when cone-bearing and the branches are sub opposite to alternate, 15-35 x 2-6 mm, leafy, flattened, long persistent.

Those on juvenile plants differ from the adult leaves in being somewhat larger and borne on flattened branchlets.

The foliage in some ways is similar to microcarpa, but lighter in colour, they are no relation.

Cones and seeds

Kawaka has small seed cones made up of a few thin woody scales.The male and female cones occur at the tips of twigs on the same tree.

Male cones are 3–5 millimetres long and contain about 10–14 scales. They are produced in spring to early summer.

The female cones are reduced to four large green scales, two sterile and two fertile. When they ripen the tiny, dry woody cones split open to release two winged seeds, which are dispersed by wind.

References

New Zealand P lant network

Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 3 February 2006. Description adapted from Allan (1961), Webb & Simpson (2001) and Farjon (2005). REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I, Wellington, Government Printer.

Farjon, A. 2005: A monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1842460684.

Webb, C.J.; Simpson, M.J.A. 2001: Seeds of New Zealand Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons. Christchurch, Manuka Press.