Kohekohe

A young Kohekohe tree note large leaves, opposite each other and one on the end

Dysoxylum spectabile, Kohekohe

Kohekohe is a medium-sized tree native to New Zealand, it also has one of the largest leaves

Kohekohe video by Dean Baigent Mercer

The Kohekohe, in the Tangihua forest is found.

On the Nature trail

It is found in lowland and coastal forests throughout most of North Island and also occurs in the Marlborough Sounds in the north of the South Island. Kohekohe forest used to be common in damp coastal and lowland areas in the North Island, but these forests have mostly disappeared because the land was used for settlement or they were browsed by possums.

Kohekohe, description

Mature trees grow up to 15m in height with a trunk up to 1m in diameter with buttress roots.

The leaves are three or four in opposite pairs.

Flowers and Fruit

Kohekohe flowers in early winter. The flowers and fruit are found on panicles growing directly from the stem, rather than from branch lateral or terminal buds. This is called cauliflory which is a common habit in tropical forest trees rather than New Zealand trees and may indicate where it came from originally.

The fruit ripens after about 15 months, that year the tree will not produce flowers meaning the tree flowers and fruits in alternative years.

The fruit-capsules are obovoid in shape, about 2-3 cm long, with 3 or 4 seeds per capsule. The seeds are embedded in an orange or brown gelatinous mass. This jelly like matrix is thought to prevent the seed drying out as it germinates. The seed is glossy black 1.5cm.

Kohekohe seeds coming directly from the branch. They also come directly from the trunk

Kohekohe has a high level of seed viability and there is no dormant stage in the seed, another tropical feature. The seed can be collected from beneath the tree in the rotting orange pulp of the capsule in mid winter, just after seed maturity.

Once germinated the plant is quick to grow and may be 50 cm tall 2 months from germination.

Role in the Forest

Kohekohe flowers are an important and favoured source of floral nectar for Tui and Bellbird.

Maori

Maori boiled the bark in water and drank it as a very bitter tonic. It was used by women who have lost their infants, to stop the secretion of milk.

The wood was used for building canoes but the wood is soft and not as durable as hardwoods and tends to rot quickly. It is valued for carving.

Threats and conservation

Possums are a major threat to Kohekohe

Scource

Taranaki Educational Resource research analysis and information network

Kohekohe video by Dean Baigent Mercer.