Haloragis erecta | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Saxifragales |
Family: | Haloragaceae |
Genus: | Haloragis |
Species: | H. erecta |
Binomial name | |
Haloragis erecta (Banks ex Murray) Oken | |
Haloragis erecta, the shrubby haloragis, toatoa or erect seaberry, is a plant species that is endemic to New Zealand.
Haloragis erecta, also known as toatoa, fireweed and shrubby haloragis, is an endemic, non-threatened perennial herb found throughout New Zealand up to an altitude of around 500m above sea level. The leaves are opposite and coarsely toothed. The stems are square and reddish/maroon in colour and flowers throughout the year producing red, pink and yellow flowers. [1]
The toatoa grows stems up to one metre tall, branching out openly. Its stems are easily recognisable due to their red colouration. It has an opposite leaf arrangement, small petiole and leaves that grow up to 90mm. Along with the red stems, its most notable feature is its leaves with serrations of up to 4mm on the edge of each of its leaves. The leaf shape is elliptic and has lateral veins running throughout the leaf. When flowering from December through until February, the toatoa boasts up to 3 to 7 flowers on each branch. These flowers can range in colour from pinky reds to vibrant yellows with petals up to 10 mm during fruiting and small pinkish fruit that can be up to 4 mm in diameter. [2] [3]
The toatoa is found anywhere from sea level up until an altitude of to 500 m in altitude. It is found all throughout New Zealand, it thrives in fertile soil and colonies areas that have been subject to disturbance events such as forestation/land clearance such as slip scars as well as forest fires. It can also self propagate causing it to occasionally be seen as a weed within urban areas. [4] Worldwide, it is found within The United States of America, French Polynesia and the United Kingdom and were taken over to these areas in the 1800's. [5]
The toatoa has a perennial life cycle, which means that the plant grows each year and has an annual flowering and fruiting schedule. Each year the plant produces flowers which are then pollinated by various moths and butterflies. It then grows a small fruit that eventually falls off and is dispersed by wind. The seeds then lay dormant until the surrounding area is disturbed or there is a lack of cover above then the seed sprouts and grows into the plant, the cycle then continues. [6]
Toatoa prefer more fertile and nutrient-rich soils such as areas after wildfire as well as freshly cleared ground such as landslides and other open soils as they are among the first species to colonise an area, however, they can tolerate low nutrient soils and dryer conditions, allowing them to be a very resilient and successful plant. [7] They are host to many species of moths, beetles, mites, thrips and sucking bugs, a full list of which can be found here: https://plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz/ReportForm.aspx?RecordId=231&Type=P&SortBy=Alpha&Biostatus=a,c,e,n. These insects all carry out specific roles such as pollination as well as predation and living on the host, providing habitat and sustenance for many of these insects. It also has its own species of weevil, the haloragis weevil which is only known to live on the toatoa that feed on the woody tissue and spend their entire life and reproductive cycle on and within the plant/. [8]
The toatoa is often sold as a garden plant and seeds have been transported overseas as an exotic garden plant as it stands out due to its uncommon characteristics such as its red flowers, fruits and stems as well as its serrated leaves causing its popularity. [9]
Haumia-tiketike is the god of all uncultivated vegetative food in Māori mythology. He is particularly associated with the starchy rhizome of the Pteridium esculentum, which became a major element of the Māori diet in former times. He contrasts with Rongo, the god of kūmara and all cultivated food plants.
Podocarpus totara is a species of podocarp tree endemic to New Zealand. It grows throughout the North Island and northeastern South Island in lowland, montane and lower subalpine forest at elevations of up to 600 m.
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute whose focus of research is the environment, biodiversity, and sustainability.
Hakea is a genus of about 150 species of plants in the Family Proteaceae, endemic to Australia. They are shrubs or small trees with leaves that are sometimes flat, otherwise circular in cross section in which case they are sometimes divided. The flowers are usually arranged in groups in leaf axils and resemble those of other genera, especially Grevillea. Hakeas have woody fruit which distinguishes them from grevilleas which have non-woody fruit which release the seeds as they mature. Hakeas are found in every state of Australia with the highest species diversity being found in the south west of Western Australia.
Urtica ferox, commonly known as tree nettle and in Māori: ongaonga, taraonga, taraongaonga, оr okaoka, is a species of nettle endemic to New Zealand. Unlike the other species in the genus Urtica found in New Zealand, all of which are herbaceous, ongaonga is a large woody shrub that can grow to a height of 3 m (9.8 ft), with the base of the stem reaching 12 cm (4.7 in) in thickness. It has large spines that can result in a painful sting that lasts several days.
Fuchsia excorticata, commonly known as tree fuchsia, New Zealand fuchsia and by its Māori name kōtukutuku, is a New Zealand native tree belonging to the family Onagraceae. It is commonly found throughout New Zealand and as far south as the Auckland Islands. It grows from sea level up to about 1,000 m (3,300 ft), particularly alongside creeks and rivers. It is easily recognised in its native environment by the characteristic appearance of its bark, which peels spontaneously, hanging in red papery strips to show a pale bark underneath. Its scientific name, excorticata, reflects this distinctive property.
Muehlenbeckia astonii or shrubby tororaro is an endemic New Zealand shrub in the family Polygonaceae. It has distinctive small heart-shaped deciduous leaves amidst a tangle of wiry interlocking branches. Although common in cultivation around the world, it is extremely rare and threatened in the wild.
Pennantia baylisiana, commonly known as Three Kings kaikōmako or kaikōmako manawatāwhi (Māori), is a species of plant in the family Pennantiaceae. It is endemic to Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, around 55 kilometres (34 mi) northwest of Cape Reinga, New Zealand. At the time of its discovery just one plant remained. This single tree grows on a scree slope inaccessible to browsing goats, and has been called "the world's loneliest tree". The species was discovered in 1945 by botanist Geoff Baylis and described in 1948, although it took decades before it was it was fully accepted as a distinct species of Pennantia. Although the only wild tree is female, it was successfully propagated from cuttings in the 1950s, one of which was induced to self-pollinate in 1985. Subsequent seed-grown plants have themselves set seeds, and the species has been replanted on the island, the adjoining mainland, and in public and private gardens around New Zealand.
Grevillea diversifolia, the variable-leaved grevillea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect to prostrate shrub with simple or divided leaves and groups white to cream-coloured flowers with a dull red style.
Pomaderris paniculosa, commonly known as scurfy pomaderris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is native to Australia and New Zealand. It is a shrub with hairy branchlets, round to elliptic or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and panicles of hairy, cream-coloured to greenish, sometimes crimson-tinged flowers.
Clematis paniculata is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It is one of seven species of clematis native to New Zealand. C. paniculata is the most common of these, and is widespread in forest throughout the country.
Olearia paniculata, commonly called akiraho, is a species of shrub or tree in the family Asteraceae, found only in New Zealand. The tree can grow to 6 metres high, and has yellow-green, oval-shaped leaves, with white undersides and wavy margins.
Myrsine salicina, synonym Rapanea salicina, commonly known as toro, is a species of shrub or small tree native to New Zealand.
Gaultheria rupestris is a shrub in the family Ericaceae. This species is endemic to New Zealand.
Disphyma australe is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It is a prostrate, succulent annual shrub or short-lived perennial plant with stems up to 2 m long, leaves that are three-sided in cross-section with a rounded lower angle, and white to deep pink daisy-like flowers with staminodes up to 30 mm (1.2 in) long.
Pimelea traversii is a species of shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae. It is native to New Zealand. The specific epithet traversii is in honor of naturalist Henry H. Travers (1844-1928), son of William Thomas Locke Travers.
Notoreas elegans is a species of moth in the family Geometridae, endemic to New Zealand. This species has a wide distribution in New Zealand and is therefore regarded as not being in need of conservation.
Notoreas isoleuca is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Notoreas mechanitis is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Notoreas ortholeuca is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand.