Mida salicifolia
Common name
maire
Synonyms
Mida cunninghamii Chatin, M. myrtifolia A. Cunn., M. salicifolia var. myrtifolia (A.Cunn.) Allan, M. eucalyptoides A.Cunn. Fusanus cunninghamii Benth. et Hook.f. ex Kirk,
Family
Nanodeaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
Yes
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.
MIDSAL
Chromosome number
2n = 66
Current conservation status
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 | At Risk – Declining
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: RF
2004 | Gradual Decline
Brief description
Small tree bearing a variety of shapes of dark green glossy leaves (that are sometimes in pairs) paler underneath with small dots inhabiting the North Island. Leaves narrow and thin or rounded, to 12cm long. Flowers small. Fruit red, in small clsuters at base of leaves.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island from North Cape to Wellington but scarce south of the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
Habitat
Coastal to lowland forest. Often in association with kauri (Agathis australis) but also common in other mixed Podocarp forests. A generalist root parasite.
Features
Small hemiparasitic, glabrescent to glabrous tree up to 6 m tall, bark smooth, grey to grey-black, branchlets slender, brittle. Petioles slender, short, somewhat fleshy. Leaves mostly alternate, sometimes with a few subopposite to opposite, (50-)100(-120) x (10-) 20-30(-40) mm, upper surface dark green to yellow green, very glossy, undersides paler and mat, lamina variable in shape ranging from linear, narrow-lanceolate, ovate to oblong-ovate, broad-elliptic to rhomboid, with all types occasionally present on the same individual, acute, subacuminate to acuminate, somewhat papery, membranous or semi-coriaceous, margins entire, sinuate or distinctly “scalloped”. Inflorescence and axillary, few-flowered raceme. Flowers gynodioecious. Pedicels c. 5 mm. Flowers greenish, pink or red. Tepals (4-)5(-6), broadly triangular, caducous, stamens (4-)5(-6), subtended by small hair tufts, disc (4-)5(-6) lobed, stigma 2-4-lobed. Fruit 7-12 x 6-8 mm, narrow-turbinate, bright red, receptacle rim persistent. Description adapted from Allan (1961).
Similar taxa
Most commonly confused in the vegetative state with species of maire (Nestegis) from which it can be distinguished because Nestegis spp. have leaves that are always opposite, not distichous and have finely spotted leaf surfaces (caused by glandular leaf hairs). In Nestegis spp. there are always short hairs on the young growth and the vegetative buds (which are usually two) are pointed and distinctly maroon-coloured.
Flowering
September - November
Flower colours
Green, Red/Pink
Fruiting
October - February
Propagation technique
Difficult and should not be removed from the wild.
Threats
Threatened by possum, goat and deer browse, and in some places almost extinct from the actions of these animals. However it is also extremely common over large parts of its range, and though perhaps most abundant on possum-free islands.
Etymology
mida: From maire, the Maori name for this species
salicifolia: From the Latin Salix ‘willow’ and -folia ‘leaf’, meaning ‘willow-leaved’
Taxanomic Notes
Mida and Nanodea have recently been segregated from the Santalaceae to form a new family the Nanodeaceae (Nickrent et al. 2010).
Attribution
Prepared by P.J. de Lange April 2004. Description adapted from Allan (1961).
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I, Wellington, Government Printer.
Nickrent, D.L.; Malecot, V.; Vidal-Russell, R.; Der, J.P. 2010: A revised classification of the Santalales. Taxon 59: 538-558.
Moorfield, J. C. (2005). Te aka : Maori-English, English-Maori dictionary and index. Pearson Longman: Auckland, N.Z.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Mida salicifolia Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/mida-salicifolia/ (Date website was queried)