The Native Flora of the Bridal Veil Falls Scenic Reserve

Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand : Botany, Volume 1, Issue 28, 7 September 1962, Page 323

The Native Flora of the Bridal Veil Falls Scenic Reserve

M. C. Gudex

By

[.Received by the Editor, November 28, 1961.]

This reserve is situated on the western side of the Raglan-Kawhia Highway, in. E. long. 174 53' 45", S. lat. 37 54' 31". It has an area of 538 acres, with a very diverse relief. The Pakoka River, flowing to the west, enters the reserve at a height of approximately 650 ft a. 5.1., passes over some low falls and rapids, and runs almost at grade for nearly half a mile before dropping 170 ft over columnar basalt rock to form the Bridal Veil Falls. From there it flows in a narrow valley with a low gradient as it turns in a south-westerly direction.

On the northern side the valley rises steeply to a height of 900 ft, and on the southern side it slopes more gradually to heights of 730 ft and 740 ft. To the left of the entrance there is a swamp which has not been thoroughly examined yet for plants. The shape of the reserve was a square, with sides one mile long, and the area was 640 acres. However, as it was traversed by the Raglan-Kawhia Highway, some of the eastern part was excluded from the reserve and sold to neighbouring farmers.

The area was bought from the Native owners to form the Te Mata State Forest Reserve, but in 1952 it was constituted a scenic reserve, to be administered by a board of control. There has been no felling of trees except a few that were used to build a bridge.

Farm stock has been kept out of most of the reserve, but goats and opossums are spoiling some of the vegetation. The soil is mainly weathered basalt. The rainfall is similar to that of Raglan, seven miles away, namely 45.5 in per annum. The prevailing winds are westerly.

Special Features

1. A profusion of Cyathea medullaris, C. dealbata, C. smithii, Dicksonia

squarrosa, Hymenophyllum demissum, Rumohra hispida, R. adiantiformis, Tmesipteris tannensis, Freycinetia banksii, Astelia cunninghamii, Collospermum hastatum, Hedycarya arhorea, Elaeocarpus dentatus, Lophomyrtus bullata, Parsonsia capsularis and Metrosideros spp.

2. A scarcity of ground orchids, Paratrophis microphylla, and individuals of small-leaved species of Coprosma. 3. Apparent absence of Podocarpus spicatus and Phyllocladus trichomanoides.

Nomenclature

I have followed the nomenclature of Allan’s “ Flora of New Zealand ”, Vol. 1, but have had to rely mainly on Cheeseman’s “ Manual of the New Zealand Flora ”, 1925 edition, for the naming of the Monocotyledons. In every case I have quoted an authority.

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank Mr V. J. Cook for his identifications of sedges, Mr A. G. A. Caldwell for advice and for help in the field, and members of the Waikato Section of the Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand for specimens brought to me from those parts of the reserve that I cannot reach because of my physical disability.

The Species

The abbreviations following the names and the authorities have these meanings: A, abundant; C, common; O, occasional; R, rare. It must be remembered, however, that distribution within the reserve varies greatly according to the aspect and terrain.

PsiLOTACEAE Tmesipteris tannensis Bernh.—G Lycopodiaceae Lycopodium billardieri Spring—O -- volubile Forst. f. —O Marattiaceae Marattia salicina Smith—R Osmund ageae Todea hymenophylloides A. Rich.—O

SCHIZAEACEAE Lygodium articulatum A. Rich.G Hymenophyllageae Hymenophyllum flabellatum Labill.—O —• dilatatum (Forst. f.) Swartz —G sanguinolentum (Forst. f.) Swartz —G scabrum A. Rich. —O demissum (Forst. f.) Swartz—A pulcherrimum Col.—R —• ferrugineum Golla—G —■ revolutum —O Trichomanes venosum R. Br.G reniforme Forst. f.—O

Digksoniaceae Dicksonia squarrosa (Forst. f.) Swartz —A fibrosa Col.—O Cyatheageae Cyathea dealbata (Forst. f.) Swartz—A medullaris (Forst. f.) SwartzA cunninghamii Hook. f. in Hook.—O smithii Hook. f.—

nigrum (Col.) Mett.—R discolor (Forst. f.) Keys,—A lanceolatum (R. Br.) Sturm G memhranaceum (Col.) Mett.—R —• fluviatile (R. Br.) Salom. — Dryopteridaceae Ctenitis glabella (A. Gunn.) Gap.O Rumohra adiantiformis (Forst. f.) Ghing — G

hispida (Swartz) Cop.—A Adiantaceae Adiantum cunninghamii Hook.O PODOCARPACEAE Podocarpus dacrydioides A. Rich. —O ferrugineus G. Benn. ex D. Don.—G totara G. Benn. ex D. Don.—R hallii Kirk—O Dacrydium cupressinum Lamb.G

Typhageae Typha muelleri Rohrb.—O Pandanageae Freycinetia banksii A. Gunn.— Gramineae Oplismenus undulatifolius Beauv.—G Microlaena avenacea Hook. f.—A stipoides (Labill.) R. Br.—O

Gyperaceae Scirpus inundatus Poir.—G - antipodus V. J. Cook—G Gahnia setifolia Hook. f.—O affinis (Brongn.) Steud.—O Uncinia riparia R. Br.—G Carex virgata Sol. ex Hook. f.—O geminata Schkuhr—G dissita Sol. ex. Hook, f.—G solan dr i Boott —O

Palmae Rhopalostylis sapida Wendl. et Drude—C JUNCACEAE Juncus polyanthemos Buchenau —O prismatocarpus R. —O XiILIACEAE Ripogonum scandens J. R. & G. Forst.A Cordyline banksii Hook. f.—G australis Hook. f.—O Astelia solandri A. Gunn. Collospermum hastatum (Col.) SkottsA

berg —A Dianella intermedia Endl. var. norfolkensis F. B. H. Brown —O Orghidaceae Dendrobium cunninghamii Lindl.—O Bulbophyllum pygmaeum (Smith) Lindl. —R

Earina mucronata Lindl.—A autumnalis (Forst. f.) Hook. f.—O Sarcochilus adversus Hook. —R Thelymitra longifolia J. R. et G. Forst. — ° Acianthus fornicatus R. Br. var. sinclairii

Passifloraceae Tetrapathaea tetrandra (Sol.) Gheesem. Myrtageae Leptospermum scoparium J. R. et G. Forst.—O ericoides A. Rich.—O Metrosideros robusta A. Gunn.— fulgens Sol. ex Gaertn.—A perforata (J. R. et G. Forst.) A. Rich. —G carminea W. R. B. Oliver diffusa (Forst. f.) Smith— Eugenia maire A. Gunn.—R Lophomyrtus bullata (Sol. ex A. Gunn.) Burret—A Elaeocarpaceae Elaeocarpus dentatus (J. R. et G. Forst.) _ Vah l—A Aristotelia serrata (J. R. et G. Forst) W. R. B. OliverG Malvaceae Hoheria populnea A. Gunn.—G Gunoniaceae einmannia racemosa Linn. f.—A Escalloniageae Quintinia serrata A. Gunn.— Ixerba brexioides A. Gunn. Carpodetus serratus J. R. et G. Forst.— Rosageae Rubus cissoides A. Gunn.— Acaena anserinifolia (J. R. et G. Forst.) Druce Moraceae Paratrophis microphylla (Raoul) Gkn.— O

Urtigaceae Urtica sp?—O Elatostema rugosum A. Gunn.—G Santalageae Mida salicifolia A. Gunn.—O Meliageae Dysoxylum spectabile (Forst. f.) Hook. f. — G Sapindaceae Alectryon excelsus Gaertn.

Araliageae Schefflera digitata J. R. et G. Forst.—A Neopanax arboreum (Murr.) Allan—A Pseudopanax edgerleyi (Hook, f.) G. Koch—O crassifolium (Sol. ex A. Gunn.) G. Koch—O CORNAGEAE Griselinia lucida Forst. f.—C

POLYPODIAGEAE Pyrrosia serpens (Forst. f.) Ghing— Anarthropteris lanceolate, (J. Smith) L. B. Moore—O Phymatodes scandens (Forst. f.) Presl—G diversifolium (Willd.) Pic. —A Grammitidageae Grammitis billardieri Willd.—O HELYPTEREDACEAE Thelypteris pennigera (Forst. f.) Allan —A

Dennstaedtiaceae Hypolepis distans Hook.—R Lindsaeaceae Lindsaea trichomanoides Dryand.—O Pteridaceae Paesia scaberula (A. Rich) Kuhn—O Histiopteris incisa (Thunb.) J. Smith—O Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn var. esculentum (Forst. f.) Kuhn—G Pteris macilenta A. Rich.—G

Aspleniageae Asplenium lucidum Forst. f.—G falcatum Lam.—C bulbiferum Forst. f.—G flaccidum Forst. £.—G Blech nageae Blechnum fraseri (A. Gunn.) Luerss.—O filiforme (A. Gunn.) Ettingshausen— A patersonii (R. Br.) Mett. —R capense (L.) Schlecht.—A

(Hook, f.) Hatch— Microtis unifolia (Forst. f.) Reichenbach f.— Pterostylis banksii R. Br.C Chiloglottis cornuta Hook. f.—R (Jorybas macranthus (Hook, f.) Reichb. f.—O

trilobus (Hook, f.) Reichb. f.—O rivularis (A. Gunn.) Reichb. f.—R Lauraceae Beilschmiedia tawa (A. Gunn.) Benth. et Hook. f. ex Kirk—A Litsea calicaris (A. Gunn.) Benth. et Hook. f. ex Kirk—G

Monimiageae Hedycarya arborea J. R. et G. Forst. Laurelia novae-zelandiae A. Gunn.—G Ranungulaceae Ranunculus hirtus Banks et Sol. ex DC.— A Clematis paniculata Gmel.—O forsteri Gmel.O

PIPERACEAE Macropiper excelsum (Forst. f.) Miq.—O Peperomia urvilleana A. Rich.— Grugiferae Cardamine debilis Banks ex DC.—A VIOLAGEAE Melicytus ramiflorus J. R. et G. Forst.— Garyophyllaceae Stellaria parviflora Banks et Sol. ex Hook. f.—

POLYGONACEAE Muehlenbeckia australis (Forst. f.) Meissn.—G Geraniageae Geranium australe Nees—G Oxalic ac eae Oxalis lactea Hook.—O corniculata L.—O

Haloragaceae Haloragis ere eta (Banks ex Murr.) Eichl. — O Onagraceae Epilohium rotundifolium Forst. —O nerterioides A. Gunn. —O Fuchsia excorticata (J. R. et G. Forst.) Linn. f.— colensoi Hook. f.—R

Proteaceae Knightia excelsa R. Br.—A CORIARIACEAE Coriaria arborea LindsayO PITTOSPORAGEAE Pittosporum tenuifolium Sol. ex Gaertn.— R cornifolium A. Gunn.

Umbelliferae Hydrocotyle moschata Forst. f.—O dissecta Hook. —G Centella uniflora (Col.) Nannf.—A Epacridageae Cyathodes fasciculata (Forst. f.) Allan Myrsinageae Myrsine salicina Hew. ex Hook. f.—O australis (A. Rich.) Allan—A

Oleaceae Gymnelaea lanceolata (Hook, f.) L. JohnsonO Loganiaceae Geniostoma ligustrifolium A. Gunn.—A Apogynaceae Parsonsia heterophylla A. Gunn.—O capsularis (Forst. f.) R. Br.—A Gaprxfoliageae Alseuosmia macrophylla A. Gunn.—G

Rubiageae Coprosma parviflora Hook. f.—O rotundifolia A. Gunn.—O tenuicaulis Hook. f.— - areolata Cheesem. — rhamnoides A. Gunn. — O spathulata A. Gunn.— O arborea Kirk —■ australis (A. Rich.) RobinsonA robusta Raoul lucida J. R. et G. Forst. — Nertera depressa Banks et Sol. ex Gaertn. —A dichondraefolia (A. Gunn.) Hook. O. Galium propinquum A. Gunn.—O

COMPOSITAE Lagenophora pumila (Forst. f.) Cheesem. —O Olearia furfuracea (A. Rich.) Hook. t. — O rani (A. Gunn.) Druce Brachyglottis repanda J. R. et G. Forst. A Centipeda orbicularis Lour. Senecio kirkii Hook. f. ex Kirk—O

Campanulaceae Pratia angulata (Forst. f.) Hook. f.—A SOLANACEAE Solanum aviculare Forst. f.—O SCROPH U LARIACE Hebe stricta (Benth.) L. B. Moore Gesneriageae Rhahdothamnus solandri A. Gunn.—R

M. G. Gudex, 6 Union Street, Hamilton.