Pomaderris kumeraho
Common name
kumarahou, gum-digger’s soap, golden tainui
Synonyms
Has been confused with the somewhat similar but distinctive Tasmanian P. elliptica Labill.
Family
Rhamnaceae
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.
POMKUM
Chromosome number
2n = 24
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.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Brief description
Shrub rarely reaching 4m tall with fuzzy twigs bearing wrinkled blunt-tipped leaves that have very prominent veins on the brownish underside. Leaves 6cm long by 3cm wide, with brownish star-shaped hairs underneath. Flowers pale yellow, in dense round clusters. Fruit dry, small.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island only from Te Paki to just south of the Kawhia Harbour and Te Kuiti in the west and the northern Bay of Plenty in the east
Habitat
Coastal to lowland, in open, early to mid successional habitats. Often on roadside banks, and in gumland vegetation. Occasionally seen in forested situations.
Similar taxa
Pomaderris hamiltonii L.B.Moore, which is a small tree with elliptic, dark green leaves, tapering at the base and tip, and by the more open inflorescences bearing cream-coloured flowers
Flowering
September - October
Flower colours
Yellow
Fruiting
Novermber - January
Propagation technique
Best from fresh seed which is slow to germinate. Semi-hardwood cuttings will strike but they can be slow and results variable. Best strikes have been achieved when cuttings have been placed in untreated saw dust. An attractive plant for a small garden, prefers full sun, and nutrient poor soils, resents competition, and is prone to phytophora and verticillium wilt
Etymology
pomaderris: Lid skin
Where To Buy
Occasionally availabe from garden centres, more often sold by specialist native plant nurseries.
References and further reading
Gardner, R. 1996. Ants and Pomaderris seeds. Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 51: 96-97.