There are ten native species of rata in New Zealand all in the genus Metrosideros. Four of these form trees (northern rata, southern rata, Bartlett’s rata and Parkinson’s rata) and the remaining six species are all lianes. Metrosideros fulgens (flower buds, left, by Jeremy Rolfe) and Metrosideros umbellata - southern rata (right, by John Barkla)
Trees
- Metrosideros bartlettii (Bartlett’s rata)
- Metrosideros parkinsonii (Parkinson’s rata)
- Metrosideros robusta (northern rata)
- Metrosideros umbellata (southern rata)
Lianes
- Metrosideros albiflora (White rata)
- Metrosideros carminea (Crimson or carmine rata)
- Metrosideros colensoi (rata)
- Metrosideros diffusa (white rata)
- Metrosideros fulgens (rata)
- Metrosideros perforata (white rata)
For more information about rata see*:
- Project Crimson Trust
- Rata (DOC website)
- Northern rata (Metrosideros robusta) in Wellington Conservancy - current status and future management (DOC publication, File size 852K)
- Northern rata (Metrosideos robusta) fact sheet (DOC, File size 1MB)
- Pohutukawa and Rata: New Zealand’s Iron Hearted Trees by Philip Simpson
- Rata fact sheet (National Association of Woodworkers)
- Rata honey (Airborne honey)
- Project Crimson - watch the TVNZ - Meet the Locals (DOC) video
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