''Beilschmiedia tawa'', the tawa, is a New Zealand
broadleaf tree
A broad-leaved, broad-leaf, or broadleaf tree is any tree within the diverse botanical group of angiosperms that has flat leaves and produces seeds inside of fruits. It is one of two general types of trees, the other being a conifer, a tree with n ...
common in the central parts of the country. Tawa is often the dominant canopy tree species in lowland forests in the
North Island and the north east of the
South Island, but will also often form the subcanopy in primary forests throughout the country in these areas, beneath
podocarps such as
kahikatea
''Dacrycarpus dacrydioides'', commonly known as kahikatea (from Māori) and white pine, is a coniferous tree endemic to New Zealand. A podocarp, it is New Zealand's tallest tree, gaining heights of 60 m and a life span of 600 years. It was fi ...
,
matai,
miro and
rimu
''Dacrydium cupressinum'', commonly known as rimu, is a large evergreen coniferous tree endemic to the forests of New Zealand. It is a member of the southern conifer group, the podocarps.
The Māori name ''rimu'' comes from the Polynesian ...
. Individual specimens may grow up to 30 metres or more in height with trunks up to 1.2 metres in diameter, and they have smooth dark bark. The Māori word "tawa" is the name for the tree.
Tawa produce small inconspicuous
flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s followed by 2–3.5 cm long fruit of a dark red plum colour. With such large fruits, tawa is notable for the fact that it relies solely on the
New Zealand pigeon
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
(kererū) and (where present) the
North Island kokako
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
for dispersal of its seed. These are the only remaining birds from New Zealand's original
biota large enough to eat the fruits of this tree and pass the seeds through their guts and excrete them unharmed. Tawa can also support significant
epiphyte gardens in their canopies, which are one of the few habitats known to be frequented by the enigmatic, arboreal
striped skink.
This tree gives its name to a northern suburb of
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
,
Tawa.
Uses
The wood of this tree can be used for attractive and resilient floorboarding. Although largely protected in conservation areas and by robust environmental legislation, licences are occasionally granted for the odd fallen tree to be milled for its timber.
The kernel of the tawa berry was used by
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
as food.
The berries were steamed in a ''hangi'' (
earth oven
An earth oven, ground oven or cooking pit is one of the simplest and most ancient cooking structures. At its most basic, an earth oven is a pit in the ground used to trap heat and bake, smoke, or steam food. Earth ovens have been used in many pl ...
) for two days, then washed to remove the turpentine-flavoured pulp. The dried kernels were stored. When required, they were soaked in hot water and pounded, sometimes flavouring being added to the mashed meal.
See also
*''
Beilschmiedia tarairi
''Beilschmiedia tarairi'', commonly called taraire, is a tree of the family Lauraceae, endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is a common canopy tree in lowland forests north of Auckland, often growing in association with kauri (''Aga ...
'' (taraire)
References
*H.H. Allan, 1961. ''Flora of New Zealand'' Vol. 1. Government printer.
*J. Dawson and R. Lucas, 2000. ''Nature guide to the New Zealand Forest''. Godwit.
*W. Mary McEwen, 1978.
*A. E. Wright, 1984.
External links
*
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1955922
tawa
Flora of the North Island
Flora of the South Island
Trees of New Zealand