Biological flora of New Zealand 14: Metrosideros excelsa, pōhutukawa, New Zealand Christmas tree

Figures & data

Figure 1 Some morphological features of Metrosideros excelsa. A, Metrosideros excelsa leaves densely clad with tomentum on both the upper and lower leaf surfaces. B, Metrosideros excelsa flower and inflorescence showing the arrangement of numerous scarlet stamens around hypanthium.

Figure 2 Generalised natural distribution of Metrosideros excelsa in New Zealand.

Table 1 Recorded species visitation to Metrosideros excelsa flowers.

Flower visitor	Recorder
Bell bird (Anthornis melanura)	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000); Pattemore & Wilcove (2012)
Gecko (Hoplodactylus spp.)	Bergin & Hosking (2006)
Chafinch (Fringilla coelebs)*	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000)
German wasps (Vespa ger-manica)*	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000)
Giant wētā (Deinacrida sp.)	Simpson (2005)
Hihi (Notiomystis cincta)	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000); Anderson (2003); Bergin & Hosking (2006)
House sparrow (Passer domesticus)*	Godley (1979); Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000)
Insects (Hymenoptera spp., Coleoptera spp.)	Anderson (2003)
Introduced bees*	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000)
Kākā (Nestor meridionalis)	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000); Bergin & Hosking (2006)
Kākāriki (Cyanoramphus sp.)	Anderson (2003); Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000)
Myna (Acridotheres tristis)*	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000); Anderson (2003)
Native bees (Leioproctus spp.)	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000)
Saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus)	Anderson (2003); Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000)
Ship rat (Rattus rattus)*	Pattemore & Wilcove (2012)
Short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata)	Daniel (1976); Arkins et al. (1999); Pattemore & Wilcove (2012)
Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)*	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000); Pattemore & Wilcove (2012)
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)*	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000); Mc Cann (1952)
Tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae)	Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000); Pattemore & Wilcove (2012)
Whitehead (Mohoua albicilla)	Anderson (2003); Schmidt-Adam et al. (2000)

*Exotic species.

Table 2 Range of recorded vegetation types with Metrosideros excelsa as a dominant component. Metrosideros = Metrosideros excelsa.

Vegetation type	Author
Metrosideros forest	Clarkson & Clarkson (1994); Smale et al. (2009)
Metrosideros/broadleaved forest	Hamilton & Atkinson (1961)
Metrosideros/Pseudopanax lessonii forest	Beadel & Shaw (1988); Bylsma (2012)
Metrosideros/Melicytus ramiflorus–Pseudopanax lessonii forest	Bylsma (2012)
Metrosideros/Myrsine australis–Melicytus ramiflorus forest	Bylsma (2012)
Metrosideros/Myrsine australis–Coprosma macrocarpa forest	Bylsma (2012)
Metrosideros/Melicytus ramiflorus–Cordyline australis forest	Bylsma (2012)
(Kunzea ericoides) Metrosideros/Pseudopanax arboreus forest	Bylsma (2012)
(Knightia excelsa) Metrosideros/Myrsine australis – Melicytus ramiflorus forest	Bylsma (2012)
Metrosideros/Cyathea dealbata–Coprosma macrocarpa forest	Bylsma (2012)
Metrosideros–(Beilschmiedia tawa)–broadleaf forest	Regnier et al. (1988)
Metrosideros/Dysoxylum spectabile–Beilschmiedia tawa forest	Bylsma (2012)
(Cortaderia jubata) Coriaria arborea/Metrosideros–Coprosma robusta scrub	Bylsma (2012)
Metrosideros–Vitex lucens forest.	Regnier et al. (1988)
(Metrosideros)/Kunzea ericoides scrub	Regnier et al. (1988)
Metrosideros–Litsea calicaris forest	Beadel & Shaw (1988)
Metrosideros rockland	Beadel & Shaw (1988)
Metrosideros–Meryta sinclairii–Corynocarpus laevigatus forest	Bellingham (1984)
Metrosideros–Beilschmiedia tarairi–Corynocarpus laevigatus forest	Bellingham (1984)
Metrosideros–Dysoxylum spectabile–Corynocarpus laevigatus–Vitex lucens forest	Bellingham (1984)
Metrosideros–Cordyline australis forest	Regnier & Clarkson (1988)
(Metrosideros)–(Vitex lucens)/Leptospermum scoparium–Pteridium esculentum forest	Regnier (1987)
Metrosideros–Cortaderia splendens forest	Smale et al. (2009)
Podocapus totara–Metrosideros excelsa forest	Lux et al. (2007)
Metrosideros–Dacrydium cupressinum forest	Lux et al. (2007)
Metrosideros–Pittosporum crassifolium–Pseudopanax lessonii rockland	Goldwater & Beadel (2010)
Metrosideros–Beilschmiedia tarairi forest	Goldwater & Beadel (2010)
Metrosideros–Cordyline australis treeland	Regnier & Clarkson (1988)
Metrosideros–Dacrydium cupressinum forest	Lux et al. (2007)

Figure 3 Diameter frequency distributions of Metrosideros excelsa stems in Bay of Plenty forests, across four stand age groups: 0–60, 60–180, 180–300 and > 300 yr. Saplings are > 50 cm tall and < 2 cm dbh. Age groups have been estimated from a diameter–age regression for Bay of Plenty trees (Bylsma 2012).

Figure 4 Metrosideros excelsa density versus approximated age of stands in the Bay of Plenty. Axes have been log transformed.

Figure 5 Gompertz model of stem diameter (cm) and age relationship for Metrosideros excelsa stem discs collected from Mayor Island (n = 5), White Island (n = 10), Bay of Plenty mainland (n = 16).

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