''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 ne ...
common in the central parts of the country. Tawa is often the dominant canopy tree species in lowland forests in 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-largest ...
and the north east of the
South Island
The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...
, but will also often form the subcanopy in primary forests throughout the country in these areas, beneath
podocarps
Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, known in English as podocarps, comprising about 156 species of evergreen trees and shrubs.James E. Eckenwalder. 2009. ''Conifers of the World''. Portland, Oregon: Timber Pr ...
such as
kahikatea,
matai,
miro and
rimu. 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
flowers 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 (kererū) and (where present) the
North Island kokako for dispersal of its seed. These are the only remaining birds from New Zealand's original
biota
Biota may refer to:
* Biota (ecology), the plant and animal life of a region
* Biota (plant), common name for a coniferous tree, ''Platycladus orientalis''
* Biota, Cinco Villas, a municipality in Aragon, Spain
* Biota (band), a band from Color ...
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
An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...
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,
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 as food.
The berries were steamed in a ''hangi'' (
earth oven) 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'' (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