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  4. Metrosideros umbellata

Metrosideros umbellata

Metrosideros umbellata, Pounawea.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>.
Close up of Metrosideros umbellata flowers.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Metrosideros umbellata flowers.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Metrosideros umbellata flowers.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Southern rata (Metrosideros umbellata) forest.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Metrosideros umbellata tree in full flower.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Metrosideros umbellata flowering tree.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Metrosideros umbellata, Mt Burnett.<br>Photographer: Gillian M. Crowcroft, Licence: All rights reserved.
Bull Creek south Otago.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>.
Mt Burnett.<br>Photographer: Gillian M. Crowcroft, Licence: All rights reserved.
Mt Burnett.<br>Photographer: Gillian M. Crowcroft, Licence: All rights reserved.
Papatowai.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>.
Papatowai.<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>.
Lake Wilkie, The Catlins.<br>Photographer: Robin Sallis, Date taken: 15/01/2007, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0'>CC BY-SA</a>.
Bark detail, Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes National Park.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Date taken: 01/02/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Flowering tree, Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes National Park.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Flowers, Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes National Park.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Flowers, Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes National Park.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Flowers, Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes National Park.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Metrosideros umbellata.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved.
Metrosideros umbellata.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved.
Enderby Island.<br>Photographer: Jane Gosden, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Enderby Island.<br>Photographer: Jane Gosden, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Enderby Island.<br>Photographer: Jane Gosden, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Enderby Island.<br>Photographer: Jane Gosden, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Enderby Island.<br>Photographer: Jane Gosden, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Enderby Island.<br>Photographer: Jane Gosden, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Enderby Island.<br>Photographer: Jane Gosden, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
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Common name

southern rātā

Synonyms

Melaleuca lucida G.Forst., Metrosideros lucida (G.Forst.) A.Rich.

Family

Myrtaceae

Authority

Metrosideros umbellata Cav.

Flora category

Vascular – Native

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Structural class

Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons

NVS code

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

METUMB

Chromosome number

2n = 22

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.

2018 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable

Previous conservation statuses

2012 | Not Threatened

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Brief description

Tall forest tree bearing pairs of oval leathery leaves with a and masses of red bristly flowers in summer inhabiting much of the South Island and some upland North Island sites. Twigs rounded in cross section. Leaves 2.5-6cm long by 1-2cm wide, gradually narrowing to sharp tip and short stalk.

Distribution

Endemic. North, South, Stewart and Auckland Islands. In the North Island locally present from Te Paki south to Mt Pirongia, the northern Kaimai Ranges (Ngatamahinerua) and Mt Manuoha (Te Urewera National Park). In the South Island from Durville Island south and to Fiordland, with a mainly westerly distribution (absent from Marlbrough), most of Canterbury and northern Otago. Common on Stewart and the Auckland Islands.

Flower colours

Red/Pink

Propagation technique

Easy from fresh seed but inclined to be rather slow-growing unless planted in ideal conditions. In cultivation this species prefers a moist soil. Can be grown from soft-wood and semi-hardwood cuttings but these can be very difficult to strike. A beautiful specimen tree which shoud be more widely planted in locations where conditions are suitable.

Threats

Threat status elevated in 2017 due to the risk of Myrtle rust. Rather uncommon in the North Island, and at some sites it is locally threatened by possum browse.

Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) is an invasive fungus which threatens native myrtle species - learn more myrtlerust.org.nz

Etymology

metrosideros: Iron heart

umbellata: Bearing flowers in umbels

Taxonomic Notes

North Island plants are genetically (based on nrDNA ITS sequences) distinct from South Island plants but the differences cannot be matched to morphology. All recent southern rata collections made from the Tararua Ranges are the hybrid M. robusta x M. umbellata (Gardner et al. 2004). A few photographs taken in the 1930s from the Francis Ridge, Southern Tararua Ranges may have been genuine M. umbellata but the species cannot be found there now. Other northern Tararua records of M. umbellata appear to be based on M. robusta.

References and further reading

Beddie, A.D. 1953. Root behaviour in Metrosideros. Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin, 26: 2-6

de Lange, P.J. 1994. Southern rata Metrosideros umbellata confirmed from Mt Pirongia Western Waikato. Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 49: 57-59.

Druce, A.P. 1959. Southern rata in the Tararuas. Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin, 31: 12-15

Gardner, R.C.; de Lange, P.J.; Bowala, T.; Brown. H.A.; Keeling, J.; Wright, S.D. 2004: A Quaternary phylogeography for New Zealand inferred from chloroplast DNA haplotypes in Metrosideros (Myrtaceae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 83: 399-412.

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Metrosideros umbellata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/metrosideros-umbellata/ (Date website was queried)

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