fbpx
Wikipedia

Metrosideros bartlettii

Metrosideros bartlettii, also known as Bartlett's rātā, Cape Reinga white rātā or in Māori as rātā moehau,[2] is one of twelve Metrosideros species endemic to New Zealand and is notable for its extreme rarity and its white flowers, somewhat uncommon in that genus of red-flowered trees and plants. Its natural range is in the far north of the North Island at Te Paki, in three patches of dense native forest near Spirits Bay (34° S) that escaped destruction by fire, namely Radar Bush, Kohuronaki Bush, and Unuwhao Bush. Only 13 adult trees are known to exist in the wild (down from 34 in 1992)[3] and most of these are either ill or dying.[4] The lack of fossil evidence elsewhere suggests that the tree may always have been restricted to the North Cape area, which was an island until it was connected to the mainland by the sandspit that constitutes Ninety Mile Beach.

Bartlett's rātā
Bartlett's rātā observed by botanist Peter de Lange.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Metrosideros
Species:
M. bartlettii
Binomial name
Metrosideros bartlettii

Description edit

 
The leaves of Bartlett's rātā taper to a point
 
Metrosideros bartlettii is unusual in its genus for having white flowers - when they were first seen by Europeans they were described as 'like snow over the tree crowns.'[5]

Metrosideros bartlettii was discovered by John Bartlett,[6] a schoolteacher from Auckland, in 1975. He found an unusual tree growing in Radar Bush, 9.5 km south-east of Cape Reinga. Almost ten years passed before the flowers were collected, making possible a scientific description of the tree.[7] Bartlett's rātā grows to a height of up to thirty metres, usually beginning life as a hemi-epiphyte on taraire (Beilschmiedia tarairi), pūriri (Vitex lucens), rewarewa (Knightia excelsa) or tree ferns (Cyathea spp.). Occasionally, the tree is found growing on the ground on rock outcrops and rocky cliffs. The tree bears white flowers made up of a mass of stamens in November or December. Seed ripens in March or April. The trunk is up to 1.5 m in diameter. Bartlett's rātā resembles northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta) but can be distinguished by the small white flowers and by the leaves, which taper to a point at the tip, while those of northern rātā are notched at the tip. Also distinctive is the white or whitish-grey bark that peels easily into soft flakes, which it is thought may offer resistance to fire damage. This may have been a key factor in the tree's precarious survival in an area prone to forest fire.

Conservation edit

 
The cast-off shell of a Cicada rests on the papery bark of a Bartlett's rātā

Although the plant is in cultivation, the majority of cultivated plants come from one tree. Only 13 adult Bartlett's rātā are known to exist in the wild,[8] and most of these are growing on privately owned land. Many of the specimens are isolated from other trees with the result that there is minimal transfer of pollen and few seeds are set. Analyses of the DNA have shown that there is very little genetic variation. The species is also vulnerable to browsing animals, and at risk of destruction by fire or by changes in the land management practices of the landowners.

Iwi Ngāti Kurī and the Department of Conservation have been working to restore tree numbers, including 360 trees planted into Radar Bush and Kohuronaki Bush. Work is also going into planting at Unuwhao Bush (the tree's current stronghold), as well as establishing new sites in the Far North utilising seedlings from all three remaining pockets of established trees, to maximise the remaining genetic diversity.[9]

Cultivation edit

Bartlett's rātā grows readily from fresh seed, and prefers sunny sites with fertile, well drained soil. It can also be propagated from hardwood cuttings, although these may be very slow to take root. Plants in cultivation in New Zealand are relatively hardy in a range of conditions, and have shown tolerance of mild frosts, which are unknown in the natural habitat.

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ de Lange, P. 2014. Metrosideros bartlettii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014. Downloaded on 29 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Te Paki Recreation Reserve". New Zealand Department of Conservation. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  3. ^ de Lange, Peter (2019). "Metrosideros bartlettii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  4. ^ "2014 Favourite Native Plant". www.nzpcn.org.nz/. New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  5. ^ Dawson, J. W. (1985-12-01). "Metrosideros bartlettii (Myrtaceae) a new species from North Cape, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 23 (4): 607–610. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1985.10434231. ISSN 0028-825X.
  6. ^ Smith, Val, 1934- (2015). Common ground : who's who in New Zealand botanical names. New Plymouth. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-473-30847-6. OCLC 918895346.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Wilson, Oliver. "Bartlett's rātā - Global Trees". Global Trees. Retrieved 2017-11-13.
  8. ^ Boyack, Nicholas (28 November 2019). "Rare white rātā in Lower Hutt, rarer than the kākāpō". Stuff. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  9. ^ Collings, Janeen (2010). "Rata Moehau - the Big Rata Asleep On the Hill (Aka Bartlett's) - Gets Going". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 21 September 2015.

References edit

  • Dawson, J. W. (1985). "Metrosideros bartlettii (Myrtaceae) a new species from North Cape, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 23 (4): 607–610. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1985.10434231.
  • "Metrosideros bartlettii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
  • Simpson, P., 2005. Pōhutukawa & Rātā: New Zealand's Iron-Hearted Trees. Wellington: Te Papa Press.
  • Drummond, R. S. M.; Keeling, D. J.; Richardson, T. E.; Gardner, R. C.; Wright, S. D. (2000). "Genetic analysis and conservation of 31 surviving individuals of a rare New Zealand tree, Metrosideros bartlettii (Myrtaceae)". Molecular Ecology. 9 (8): 1149–1157. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.00989.x. PMID 10964234. S2CID 20499423.
  • van der Walt Karin, Alderton-Moss Jennifer, Lehnebach Carlos A. (2023). "Cross-pollination and pollen storage to assist conservation of Metrosideros bartlettii (Myrtaceae), a critically endangered tree from Aotearoa New Zealand". Pacific Conservation Biology 29, 141-152. doi.org/10.1071/PC21054

External links edit

  • Project Crimson

metrosideros, bartlettii, also, known, bartlett, rātā, cape, reinga, white, rātā, māori, rātā, moehau, twelve, metrosideros, species, endemic, zealand, notable, extreme, rarity, white, flowers, somewhat, uncommon, that, genus, flowered, trees, plants, natural,. Metrosideros bartlettii also known as Bartlett s rata Cape Reinga white rata or in Maori as rata moehau 2 is one of twelve Metrosideros species endemic to New Zealand and is notable for its extreme rarity and its white flowers somewhat uncommon in that genus of red flowered trees and plants Its natural range is in the far north of the North Island at Te Paki in three patches of dense native forest near Spirits Bay 34 S that escaped destruction by fire namely Radar Bush Kohuronaki Bush and Unuwhao Bush Only 13 adult trees are known to exist in the wild down from 34 in 1992 3 and most of these are either ill or dying 4 The lack of fossil evidence elsewhere suggests that the tree may always have been restricted to the North Cape area which was an island until it was connected to the mainland by the sandspit that constitutes Ninety Mile Beach Bartlett s rata Bartlett s rata observed by botanist Peter de Lange Conservation status Critically Endangered IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Rosids Order Myrtales Family Myrtaceae Genus Metrosideros Species M bartlettii Binomial name Metrosideros bartlettiiJ W Dawson Contents 1 Description 2 Conservation 3 Cultivation 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksDescription edit nbsp The leaves of Bartlett s rata taper to a point nbsp Metrosideros bartlettii is unusual in its genus for having white flowers when they were first seen by Europeans they were described as like snow over the tree crowns 5 Metrosideros bartlettii was discovered by John Bartlett 6 a schoolteacher from Auckland in 1975 He found an unusual tree growing in Radar Bush 9 5 km south east of Cape Reinga Almost ten years passed before the flowers were collected making possible a scientific description of the tree 7 Bartlett s rata grows to a height of up to thirty metres usually beginning life as a hemi epiphyte on taraire Beilschmiedia tarairi puriri Vitex lucens rewarewa Knightia excelsa or tree ferns Cyathea spp Occasionally the tree is found growing on the ground on rock outcrops and rocky cliffs The tree bears white flowers made up of a mass of stamens in November or December Seed ripens in March or April The trunk is up to 1 5 m in diameter Bartlett s rata resembles northern rata Metrosideros robusta but can be distinguished by the small white flowers and by the leaves which taper to a point at the tip while those of northern rata are notched at the tip Also distinctive is the white or whitish grey bark that peels easily into soft flakes which it is thought may offer resistance to fire damage This may have been a key factor in the tree s precarious survival in an area prone to forest fire Conservation edit nbsp The cast off shell of a Cicada rests on the papery bark of a Bartlett s rataAlthough the plant is in cultivation the majority of cultivated plants come from one tree Only 13 adult Bartlett s rata are known to exist in the wild 8 and most of these are growing on privately owned land Many of the specimens are isolated from other trees with the result that there is minimal transfer of pollen and few seeds are set Analyses of the DNA have shown that there is very little genetic variation The species is also vulnerable to browsing animals and at risk of destruction by fire or by changes in the land management practices of the landowners Iwi Ngati Kuri and the Department of Conservation have been working to restore tree numbers including 360 trees planted into Radar Bush and Kohuronaki Bush Work is also going into planting at Unuwhao Bush the tree s current stronghold as well as establishing new sites in the Far North utilising seedlings from all three remaining pockets of established trees to maximise the remaining genetic diversity 9 Cultivation editBartlett s rata grows readily from fresh seed and prefers sunny sites with fertile well drained soil It can also be propagated from hardwood cuttings although these may be very slow to take root Plants in cultivation in New Zealand are relatively hardy in a range of conditions and have shown tolerance of mild frosts which are unknown in the natural habitat See also editMetrosideros excelsa Pōhutukawa Metrosideros robusta Northern rata Metrosideros umbellata Southern rata Metrosideros parkinsonii Parkinson s rataNotes edit de Lange P 2014 Metrosideros bartlettii The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014 Downloaded on 29 October 2015 Te Paki Recreation Reserve New Zealand Department of Conservation Retrieved 21 September 2015 de Lange Peter 2019 Metrosideros bartlettii New Zealand Plant Conservation Network Retrieved 28 November 2019 2014 Favourite Native Plant www nzpcn org nz New Zealand Plant Conservation Network Retrieved 20 December 2014 Dawson J W 1985 12 01 Metrosideros bartlettii Myrtaceae a new species from North Cape New Zealand New Zealand Journal of Botany 23 4 607 610 doi 10 1080 0028825X 1985 10434231 ISSN 0028 825X Smith Val 1934 2015 Common ground who s who in New Zealand botanical names New Plymouth p 245 ISBN 978 0 473 30847 6 OCLC 918895346 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link CS1 maint multiple names authors list link CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Wilson Oliver Bartlett s rata Global Trees Global Trees Retrieved 2017 11 13 Boyack Nicholas 28 November 2019 Rare white rata in Lower Hutt rarer than the kakapō Stuff Retrieved 2019 11 28 Collings Janeen 2010 Rata Moehau the Big Rata Asleep On the Hill Aka Bartlett s Gets Going New Zealand Plant Conservation Network Retrieved 21 September 2015 References editDawson J W 1985 Metrosideros bartlettii Myrtaceae a new species from North Cape New Zealand New Zealand Journal of Botany 23 4 607 610 doi 10 1080 0028825X 1985 10434231 Metrosideros bartlettii New Zealand Plant Conservation Network Retrieved 2010 10 02 Simpson P 2005 Pōhutukawa amp Rata New Zealand s Iron Hearted Trees Wellington Te Papa Press Drummond R S M Keeling D J Richardson T E Gardner R C Wright S D 2000 Genetic analysis and conservation of 31 surviving individuals of a rare New Zealand tree Metrosideros bartlettii Myrtaceae Molecular Ecology 9 8 1149 1157 doi 10 1046 j 1365 294x 2000 00989 x PMID 10964234 S2CID 20499423 van der Walt Karin Alderton Moss Jennifer Lehnebach Carlos A 2023 Cross pollination and pollen storage to assist conservation of Metrosideros bartlettii Myrtaceae a critically endangered tree from Aotearoa New Zealand Pacific Conservation Biology 29 141 152 doi org 10 1071 PC21054 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Metrosideros bartlettii External links editProject Crimson Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Metrosideros bartlettii amp oldid 1201090531, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.