Native Trees and Plants Northland

Introduction to native trees and plants in the Tangihua Forest.

This page contains a description of the Tangihua forest in general. For information on specific plants, refer to the links in the right hand column.
We also have the following pages with more information about the Tangihua Ranges and native forests;

The Tangihua forest is unique

The Northland peninsula has a unique subtropical/temperate climate. This plus variations in altitude, terrain and soil type provides a favorable habitat for a wide range of unusual plants.
The Tangihua Forest is a typical example of the Northland forests which are found nowhere else in the world. Most of these forests have disappeared and a good understanding of this forest allows us to understand the other past and present Northland forests.

The Tangihua forest is a regenerating forest

Man and introduced pests have had a major impact on all of Northlands forests. Because of this they are all regenerating forests. For more information visit our page regenerating forests. This will give you a better understanding of the forest and why it is like it is.

The Tangihua forest trees are ancient

Kahikatea, a podocarp, can be traced back 110 million years. Identical pollen to today’s trees has been found to be 37-54 million years old. Pollen from Rimu has also been found in deposits laid down at the same time. These trees’ ancestors existed on Gondwana land and became separated from the rest of the world when Gondwana broke up. The fact that many of our podocarp trees survived in an unbroken little changed line makes our forests unique.
Some of the later native trees arrived 15 million years ago e.g. the cabbage tree which has given them plenty of time to adapt and become unique.

The role trees and plants play in the Tangihua ecosystem Northland

Trees and plants are vital for any ecosystem. They provide a range of roles including producing food and shelter, regulating water run off, regulating the climate and producing oxygen.

Food

Plants are able to obtain nourishment from carbon dioxide, minerals from the soil and water plus convert energy from the sunlight (photosynthesise) into food for the tree. This food ranges from carbohydrates, vitamins, oils, and other essential substances. By eating the leaves, fruit, flowers, nectar or wood made by plants other living creatures are able to exist.

Shelter

Trees and plants provide a place for birds, and other creatures to live plus provide shelter from the wind, sun and rain for other plants to establish.
Plants provide shelter physically but by providing the plant litter on the forest floor. Leaves, branches and at times entire trees fall to the forest floor where they decompose. This produces a habitat for an entire ecosystem for fungus, plants and insects.

Building soil

As stated above trees and plants produce plant litter which recycles nutrients into the soil for future generations. The roots of the trees stabilise the soil allowing it to remain in place and grow deeper. This is vital for steep hillsides such as the Tangihua ranges. The soil retains moisture and nutrients for trees and the wide range of creatures which live in it.

Regulating water flows

A hectare of native subtropical forest requires a large amount of water in order to grow and exist. This water is locked up in the plant and evaporated via the leaves (evapotranspiration) back into the atmosphere. The plant litter also absorbs and holds large amounts of water. The structure of a forest’s trees and plants significantly slow down run off.

Regulating the climate

By releasing water into the atmosphere, absorbing sunlight and providing shelter from wind trees help regulate the temperature and moisture content of the surrounding air.

Oxygen

Trees and plants are the earth’s source of Oxygen, without which no animal would exist.

Shapes the ranges

Tree roots help prevent slips and erosion. Other plants trap soil e.g. swamps and as they break down build up the valleys.

This poster demonstrates the size of our native trees.

New Zealand Native tree poster by David Gunson. This poster can be viewed at the lodge. For more information visit here.
These massive trees which covered the entire area have all but gone.

Tangihua Forest Description

The Tangihua forest is a conifer, broad leaf Kauri forest.

The biggest or tallest trees give a forest their describing name as they tend to dominate.
Conifer, broad leaf forests are the most complex of New Zealand forests, especially in sub tropical Northland. The relatively high rainfall and free draining soils allow for a wide variety of plants.
A mature conifer – broadleaf forest tends to have five layers with many plants moving through or growing in multiple layers.
  1. From the forest floor to 1m, specific plants, mainly ferns, grasses, mosses, liverworts and herbaceous plants which can survive in low light
  2. From 1.5m to 5m a wide variety of shrubs and young trees
  3. Trees which grow up 10m-15m are called the sub-canopy. These tend to be tree ferns and growing trees
  4. Then the forest roof of canopy trees 20-25m. These are mainly broad leafed trees
  5. From 25m upwards we have the emergent trees, mostly conifers.
In amongst all this are the vines, epiphytes and of course trees growing through one layer to be part of the next, for example Kauri rickers.

Conifers

Conifers produce cones and have needle or scale like leaves and are evergreen. Conifers appeared 360 million years ago and live up to 1200 years or more in the case of Kauri. This longevity ensures that they dominate the forest canopy (if they had not been logged).
Examples found in the Tangihua area are Kahikatea, Kauri, Kawaka, Matai, Miro, Rimu, Tānekaha, Totara.

Broad leaf

A broad leafed tree is considered to have flat leaves and produces seeds inside of fruits. In New Zealand they are usually over 15m in height and most live for 200 – 400 years.
Examples of broad leafed trees in the Tangihua forest are Black maire, Broadleaf-papaumu, Hinau, Karaka, Kohekohe, Nikau, Pohutakawa, Puka, Pukatea, Puriri, Rata, Rewarewa, Taraire, Tawheowheo, Titoki, Towai.
These trees support a wide range of vines and epiphytes.

Vines

Definition: A climbing or trailing woody-stemmed plant which requires support such as a tree. Vines tend to require seral stage three shrubs and trees to exist although Kiekie will move into shaded open areas and cover the ground.
Vines climb both up and down trees using tendrils. Some such as Rata germinate in the tree and send their tendrils to the ground. Others germinate on the ground and creep along the ground until they find a tree to climb. Supple jack is an example of this.
Examples of vines in the Tangihua forest are Rata, Clematis, Bush lawyer, Supplejack, Kiekie.

Epiphytes

Epiphytes are plants that grow on another plant, especially one that is not parasitic. There are at least 108 epiphytes in NZ including ferns, shrubs, orchids and lilies.
Some plants germinate in trees in the soil made by the epiphytes when their leaves break down. This includes the Puka, Northern Rata, some orchids.

Tangihua Forest description

For the Tangihua forest Geographic and Geology visit The Tangihua ranges on this site.
Information taken from Natural areas of Tangihua ecological District, PNAP report:
The Tangihua forest provides habitat for three threatened plant species and 22 regionally significant plant species.
Tangihua Forest is representative for at least five ecological units:
  • Puriri-kowhai-totara forest on steep face
  • Towai-mamaku forest on moderate hillslope
  • Taraire-nikau-puriri forest on steep upper hillslope
  • Towai-tanekaha forest on steep upper hillslope
  • Tawa forest on steep face
Other forest types are:
  • Taraire-puriri forest on steep face and in gullies
  • Kahikatea forest on moderate to steep hillslopes
  • Towai forest in steep hillslope
  • Totara-puriri forest on steep lower hillslope
  • Kanuka/manuka-totara forest on ridge
  • Kauri ricker forest on steep face
  • Rimu-tanekaha forest on ridge
  • Manuka shrubland on hillslope
  • Taraire forest on steep hillslope
  • Towai-taraire forest on hillslope
  • Taraire-totara-towai forest in gully
  • Totara-taraire forest on hillslope
  • Taraire-kahikatea forest in gully
  • Kahikatea-taraire-totara forest in gully

Tangihua forest ecosystems description by location

A – Along the northern border, between the Tangihua and Waihoa streams catchments,
puriri-kowhai- totara forest occurs with frequent nikau and karaka, and occasional kohekohe, miro, taraire, ti kouka and tawa. Steep gullies are characterised by abundant taraire and common puriri with frequent tawa and totara, and occasional rewarewa, karaka and kahikatea.

B –  South of here,
Taraire-puriri occurs on a steep face with frequent tawa and rewarewa. Occasional species include karaka, nikau, mamaku, ti kouka, kohekohe and puka.

C – On the south-west of the site,
Moderate hillslopes are occupied by towai-mamaku forest with occasional kowhai and emergent totara and rewarewa.

D – West of here,
kahikatea dominates moderate to steep slopes, with frequent towai and occasional rimu, kauri, rewarewa, totara and nikau.

E – To the south-west, near Omana Road,
Towai is abundant. Frequent species are taraire and rewarewa, and occasional species are rimu, puriri, kahikatea and mamaku.

F –  The far west of the site is characterised by
Taraire-puriri forest, with frequent rewarewa and tawa, and occasional pukatea, kohekohe, puka, kowhai, mamaku, nikau, kanuka and towai. Taraire is abundant on steep faces with common nikau and puriri, while rewarewa is frequent with occasional puka, karaka and northern rata.

G – In the north-east, within the Tangihua Stream catchment,
co-dominant totara and puriri occur on steep lower hillslopes with frequent karaka and kowhai, and occasional kohekohe, pukatea, ti kouka, matai, rimu, nikau, tawa, puka and kanuka/manuka.
Remaining vegetation types in the Tangihua Stream catchment include rimu-tanekaha forest with frequent totara and kanuka/manuka, and occasional miro, kauri and northern rata; and manuka shrubland.

H – On the next ridge to the east,
kanuka/manuka-totara forest occurs with frequent puriri and ti kouka, and occasional kowhai and tanekaha.
Steep upper slopes in this area are characterised by towai and tanekaha with frequent totara and rewarewa, and occasional rimu, kauri and miro.

I – To the south-east of here,
Tawa ‑ dominated forest occurs on steep faces with frequent puriri, taraire and rewarewa, and occasional mamaku, nikau and puka.

J – Slightly to the west,
a dense stand of kauri ricker occurs on a steep face which includes three mature trees.

K – The eastern region of the Tangihua Forest range,
Taraire is abundant in the upper catchment of the Kaitaringa Stream. Frequent species include puriri, karaka, kahikatea and totara.

L – Along the northern boundary of the site’s eastern arm,
there are numerous small forest remnants on the foothills, either side of O’Carroll Road. Towai and taraire are co-dominant in a small gully remnant north of O’Carroll Road, occurring with frequent totara and occasional puriri. Taraire-totara- towai forest characterises a small gully remnant to the south of O’Carroll Road. Rimu is frequent with occasional lancewood and kauri.

M – Just to the west,
totara and taraire are co-dominant, occurring with frequent puriri and towai, and occasional lancewood and kahikatea.

N – East of here,
taraire-kahikatea forest occurs in a gully with frequent puriri, karaka and totara.

O – Further east, another small gully contains
kahikatea ‑ taraire ‑ totara forest , with occasional puriri and karaka. Mangeao is common at higher altitudes (> 560 m asl) (L. Forester pers. comm.)

Species of botanical interest

Significant flora

Brachyglottis kirkii (Declining) (Cameron 1992), kawaka (Naturally Uncommon), Myosotis spathulata var. spathulata (Naturally Uncommon) (AK 7514), Plectranthus parviflorus (Coloniser).

Regionally significant

Meaning assessed by the Department of Conservation (Northland Conservancy) to be either rare or threatened within the Northland Region.
All non-referenced species were recorded in Willetts (1985).
Common name Species Common name Species
Fern Hypolepis lactea Neinei Dracophyllum traversii
Fern Hypolepi rufobarbata Scrub nettle Urtica incisa
Strap Fern Notogrammitis billardierei Stinging nettle
Strap Fern Notogrammitis pseudociliata Panakenake, Pratia Lobelia angulata
Horopito, pepper tree Pseudowintera colorata Carmine Rata Metrosideros carminea
Kaikomako Pennantia corymbosa Northern rata Metrosideros robusta
Kapuka Griselinia littoralis Raukawa Pseudopanax Raukaua edgerleyi
Kotukutuku Fuchsia excorticata Tanguru Olearia albida
Leafless lawyer Rubus squarrosus Tawari Ixerba brexioides
Maire tawake Syzygium maire Wharariki, Mountain flax Phormium cookianum
Native Iris, Mikoikoi Libertia grandiflora – Coprosma rigida
– Dracophyllum sinclairii

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