Rare Plant Discovery in Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park

Forest and Bird, Issue 308, 1 May 2003, Page 8

Rare Plant Discovery in Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park

Department of

Conservation, Rotorua.

—MICHELLE ELBORN,

ou never know what you , may stumble across while walking in the bush. A Tauranga Forest and Bird member, Kate Mulligan, recently came across an unusual reddish-coloured flower about the size of a pea, while she was enjoying a walk in the Waitawheta Valley, near Waihi in the northern KaimaiMamaku Forest Park. This was later identified as a flower of the seldom seen native plant Thismia rodwayi. Kate Mulligan, a keen tramper and botanist, found eight flowers of the tiny species in a tiny area — less than 10x11cm. Upon making the

find, details were passed to the Department of Conservation. Bay of Plenty DoC staff followed up the find and have searched the site and now confirm this is the first recorded find of this species in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park and in the wider Bay of Plenty. Local DoC botanist, Paul Cashmore, says "This is an incredibly difficult species to find and it’s great to know that it does occur in the Kaimais. We certainly hope that now other populations may be located in the vicinity or elsewhere in the Bay of Plenty. The species is distinguished by a beautiful red flower most

easily identified around November. The species is a saprophyte living on a fungus which in turn feeds on the decaying roots and leaf litter of a variety of plants. Tradition has it that it only grows with podocarps but it is more often found in secondary re-growth forest, usually in places dominated by manuka/kanuka and kamahi. As this species has been so rarely recorded very little is known about it. Thismia is ranked by DoC as being ‘naturally uncommon-sparse’. It is not known whether or not this species is actually threatened, hence it’s ranking of ‘naturally uncommon-sparse’ which it certainly is. It has only been recorded at a limited number of sites restricted to the North Island, mainly in the Hakarimata Ranges, near Ngauruawahia, and in places around King Country, Opepe Bush and

Tongariro National Park. ‘This makes the find all the more significant for the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park, says Paul Cashmore. A number of other rare species have been recently reported in the Kaimai Ranges including Hochstetter frogs and striped skinks. Local offices of the Department of Conservation office welcome reports of unusual species as this can provide valuable data to assist in conservation. For more information on Thismia rodwayi contact Paul Cashmore on 07 349 7400.

Former Nelson Forest and Bird chairman Graham Ramsay and National Executive member Dr Peter Maddison recently found Thismia rodwayi while on an insect survey of the proposed mainland island at Maungatautiri, south Waikato. The plant had not been seen there for a century.