''Metrosideros albiflora'', also known as large white rātā, Northland white rātā,
akatea Akatea is the Māori name for at least two different species of white-flowering climbing vine from New Zealand:
*''Metrosideros albiflora
''Metrosideros albiflora'', also known as large white rātā, Northland white rātā, akatea or simply wh ...
or simply white rātā, is a forest liane or
vine
A vine ( Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners thems ...
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...
to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
. It is one of three white flowering rātā vines (the others being
white rātā and
small white rātā). The name "albiflora" indeed literally means white flowered.
Despite the similar names, large white rātā is distinguished by its much larger leaves and flowers. Its flowers are amongst the largest of any rātā, similar in size to both
scarlet rātā and
pōhutukawa
''Metrosideros excelsa'', commonly known as pōhutukawa ( mi, pōhutukawa), New Zealand Christmas tree, New Zealand Christmas bush, and iron tree, is a coastal evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that produces a brilliant display o ...
.
It occurs almost exclusively in
Kauri
''Agathis'', commonly known as kauri or dammara, is a genus of 22 species of evergreen tree. The genus is part of the ancient conifer family Araucariaceae, a group once widespread during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, but now largely res ...
forests from the
northern Kaimai Ranges to Te Paki at the top of the
North Island
The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-larges ...
.
Description
The flowers of ''M. albiflora'' are a pure white, with flowering between October and March. Leaves grow up to 9 cm long and are leathery, and the vine can grow up to 10m high. If no support is available, it will instead form a large bush, and example of this can be seen in
Waima, Northland in regenerating bush.
Conservation
As of 2012, ''M. albiflora'' is not regarded as threatened.
Cultivation
''Metrosideros albiflora'' has a reputation for being exacting
and difficult
and is not common in cultivation. It is however available form specialist plant nurseries. In addition to the large white flowers, its new foliage is a reddish colour. It strongly prefers a situation where its base is afforded shade and it is not permitted to dry out excessively.
There is one known cultivar of large white rātā, ''Metrosideros albiflora'' 'Northland', which is listed in the Blue Mountain Nurseries catalog.
See also
*
Carmine/Crimson Rātā
*
Colenso's Rātā
*
Scarlet Rātā
*
Small White Rātā
*
White Rātā
References
Further reading
*Salmon, J.T., 1986. ''The Native Trees of New Zealand''. Wellington: Heinneman Reed.
*Simpson, P., 2005. ''Pōhutukawa & Rātā: New Zealand's Iron-Hearted Trees''. Wellington: Te Papa Press.
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15373061
albiflora
Endemic flora of New Zealand
Trees of New Zealand
Garden plants of New Zealand