''Metrosideros fulgens'' (scarlet rātā, rātā vine or in

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 Co ...

akatawhiwhi) is a forest liana or vine

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only 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 foun ...

to New Zealand. It occurs in coastal and lowland forest throughout the

North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...

, on the west coast of the

South Island The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...

and on the

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north of

Cape Reinga Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua (; sometimes spelled Rēinga, ) is the northwestern most tip of the Aupōuri Peninsula, at the northern end of the North Island of New Zealand. Cape Reinga is more than 100 km north of the nearest small town ...

. It is one of a number of New Zealand ''

Metrosideros ''Metrosideros'' is a genus of approximately 60 trees, shrubs, and vines in the family Myrtaceae, mostly found in the Pacific region. Most of the tree forms are small, but some are exceptionally large, the New Zealand species in particular. The ...

'' species which live out their lives as vines, unlike the northern rātā ('' M. robusta''), which generally begins as a hemi-epiphyte and grows into a huge tree. Scarlet rātā is one of the better-known species of rātā vines, because it flowers in autumn or winter, and is often highly visible on well-lit host trees along

forest road left, alt=Pathway through forest., Concrete pathway through deep forest in India. Forest tracks or forest roads are roads or tracks intended to carry motorised vehicles or horse-drawn wagons being used mainly or exclusively for forestry purposes, ...

s, with vibrant displays of large red flowers (sometimes orange or yellow) that rise above the forest canopy.

Description

''Metrosideros fulgens'' is a species in the genus ''

'', it prefers warm moist habitats and grows up to long or more, with the main stem up to 10 cm or more in diameter. It climbs in the same way as ivy, sending out short adventitious roots to adhere to the trunks of host trees, penetrating and clinging to rough surfaces. The climbing shoots of juvenile plants are designed to grow rapidly and extend the length of the plant. The short clinging roots usually die after about a year, so that when the vine is mature, the thick, twisted, rope-like stems hang free from the host like thick, sometimes twisted ropes, with red-brown flaky bark. The leaves are mostly rounded at the tip. Flowering is from autumn to spring, with seed capsules taking about a year to ripen.

Cultivation

There are several cultivars of ''M. fulgens'' available, mostly selected for their flower colours. * ''Metrosideros fulgens'' ‘Gold’/'Aurata' has bright yellow flowers from late summer to early winter and grows to 1.5 by 1.5 metres, taking several years to reach this size. It has attractive fresh light green foliage, and can be trimmed to form an informal hedge. M. Aurata was first encountered in 1890 near Collingwood by a Mrs S. Featon of Gisborne, and was first thought to be a separate species (''Metrosideros aurata''). M. Gold was the name used when introduced into cultivation, and was sourced in the same area and time as M. Jaffa below. * ''Metrosideros fulgens'' 'Jaffa' is a compact bush producing brilliant burnt-orange flowers. This cultivar was selected in the mid-1990s from a specimen growing on the Tairua-Whitianga Road in the

Coromandel Peninsula The Coromandel Peninsula () on the North Island of New Zealand extends north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier protecting the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the west from the Pacific Ocean ...

by Jenny Oliphant. It has been available since 2001. * ''Metrosideros fulgens'' 'Orange Princess' was released in 2000 by Duncan & Davies in

Taranaki Taranaki is a regions of New Zealand, region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano Mount Taranaki, Taranaki Maunga, formerly known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the ...

. This cultivar was sourced from the Onaero River valley. Its appearance is very similar to M. Jaffa. * ''Metrosideros fulgens'' 'Red Glow' is a more "standard" form of M. fulgens and has orangy-red flowers. The source of this cultivar is not known but has only been available for a few years. In addition to the above cultivars, it is also possible to buy regular forms of M. fulgens through specialist plant nurseries.

References

* * * * * * * Dawson, D., and R. Lucas, 2000. ''Nature Guide to the New Zealand Forest''. Auckland: Random House. * Simpson, P., 2005. ''Pōhutukawa & Rātā: New Zealand's Iron-Hearted Trees''. Wellington: Te Papa Press.

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5677024 fulgens Endemic flora of New Zealand Garden plants of New Zealand Vines

Description

Cultivation

See also

References

External links