Gallery of New Zealand flora

Forest and Bird, Volume 14, Issue 6, 1 May 1983, Page 52

Gallery of New Zealand flora

—David G. Collingwood

The kumarahou, Pomaderris kumeraho, is a small branching shrub reaching 3 m. Its generic name is derived from _ the Greek poma, a covering, and derris, a skin, which refers to the membranous covering of the seed vessel. Its leaves aré 5°.10°.7.5.cim long, elliptical, alternate, and green above, with veins and midrib prominent beneath, where the leaves are entirely white or grey. The shrub is covered with a white or grey down except on the surface of the leaves. Kumarahou’s flowers are numerous and collected into large bunches; the seed capsule

is small. The old-gold colour of the flowers when the shrubs are spread on a hillside is a lovely sight. Gumdigger’s soap The Maoris named it kumarahou because it had a root rather like the kumara’s and grew deep. It was also known to the early settlers as gumdigger’s soap because when the blossom was swished in water. it. produced 7a soapiness which could be used for washing. Though originally thought to be similar to a plant growing in eastern Australia and Tasmania, the New Zealand species is now known to be different. in respect of its leaf veins and calyx form. It is thus endemic to New Zealand and remarkably uniform throughout its range.

Abundant in Northland It is abundant on dry hills in Northland, particularly near the Bay of Islands, and is distributed on poor clay hills from the far north to the Bay of Plenty and to the west of Te Kuiti. ; Though it was noted by Banks and Solander, who accompanied Cook in 1769, A. Cunningham collected and described it in 1834. Kumarahou prospers in rich soils, which improve its foliage and flowers. It has thus become a garden plant and its handsome flowers are seen even in England. Because it is a true New Zealand plant, we should make more use of this beautiful Pomaderris in our Own gardens.

Gallery of New Zealand flora