Survey follow-up - Plant diversity and health
Kotukutuku
Kotukutuku on this site seem to lose their leaves in summer and regrow them in Winter. Flowers were produced on Adult #1 but were not numerous. As yet no seedlings have been observed.
Three or four juveniles were located once they leafed out. The definition of the path is helping protect them as they develop.
Kauri
A young ricker observed by a fellow-iNaturalist visiting the Project in 2019 has been located, at the top of the high bank between the Native Plant Trail and the stream in the older, more diverse part of the forest. It continues to appear healthy.
Tanekaha
Many more tanekaha have now been identified in the tall canopy near the Native Plant Trail entry. several of those near the top of the bank, ie the roadside, are dead or in dieback.
On a dead one we have observed more closely a dense black growth or fungus around what appears to be a wound, perhaps posthumous. This Tanekaha c.30cmD is within two metres of the Trail near its entry, and died sometime between 2000 and 2005, from memory. (Its dead branches drop on the bank below but the trunk and remaining branches still stand there).
Kanono
Kanono is abundant along the streambanks on both sides, as adult, juvenile and seedlings. On the Kaipatiki Roadside bank there is no path, and healthy adults are common. On the Witheford streamside, cut through by the Native Plant Trail, few if any healthy adults have been observed, and diseased adults and juveniles are common. Many seedlings have yellowed or deformed leaves, and/or black spots. We understand the leaf deformities are caused by opportunistic pathogens secondary to plant stress.
Diseased Kanono have also been observed upstream of the footbridge, where walking through the vegetation along a narrow level bank is possible only with care. This area holds at least one kanono , including at least one with the typical orange abnormal growth from a wound in the trunk, that we are told is symptomatic of environmental damage of unknown cause,
Native Clematis
We continue to look out for Clematis paniculata and forsteri, both present in 1999-2000 but not observed during the current project.
Rhabdothamnus remains in at least one occurrence with plants of different sizes clinging to steep clay banks over several metres. We hope all practitioners are made aware of their presence as we read that they are irreplaceable, due to the extinction of the bird species necessary to their pollination:
https://inaturalist.nz/posts/26968-rhabdothamnus-solandri
Ferns are much less abundant along the downstream streambanks, which have not yet been accessed as they appear to be higher and steeper than in 1997-99, with no sedimentary islets observed yet. Stormwater retention has presumably not been achieved in the catchment, and the increased density of housing is likely to have brought increased erosion of banks and scouring of streambed below piped and unpiped outfalls.
Some species of fern common in 1997-99 have still not been observed, including kidney ferns. We have yet to access the upstream area where kidney ferns were abundant, but they were also present downstream. Any observations would be appreciated.
The c.1mD taraire on Taraire Hill has been located thanks to Neil Henderson, Restoration Activator of Kaipatiki Project. He also identified for us the Maire close beside a 50cmD kowhai above Maire Falls, several old stream-edge kowhai, and a mature titoki and tawa overhanging the path-steps there.
We have found no sign of the NZ Tree broom which stood at Broom Bend, where the steps of the Native Plant Trail turn sharply downstream after climbing up past Maire Pool. What we believe is the same corner has some patches of smooth clay uncharacteristic of this dense bit of forest, perhaps here periodically washed by run-off.
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