Rata (tree)

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Rātā

Southern Rātā (Metrosideros umbellata)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Metrosideros

Species

Metrosideros robusta A. Cunn
Metrosideros umbellata Cav.

Northern rātā flowers, Mount Maungatautari

Rātā may refer to any of eleven species of trees and vines endemic to New Zealand belonging to the genus Metrosideros, the best-known species being Metrosideros robusta (Northern rātā), and M. umbellata (Southern rātā). Both of these are huge trees with red flowers produced between November and January. A relatively recent discovery is the extremely rare M. bartlettii (Cape Reinga white rātā), which seems to be closely related to M. robusta apart from its distinctive white flowers. Most of the other species are forest vines.^[1]

The Metrosiderous genus is notable in that only four of the New Zealand species are trees, while the remainder are vines. The vine-like nature of the group manifests in all the trees and especially in M. robusta, which begins its life as an epiphyte high in the branches of a mature forest tree; over centuries the the young tree sends descending and girdling roots down and around the trunk of its host, eventually overpowering it and forming a massive, frequently hollow pseudotrunk of coalesced roots. This tree is unique also in the ability of its root system to re-fuse with itself often forming bizarre sculptural forms. Many species of Metrosideros are being severely damaged and even killed by the Common Brushtail Possum which was introduced from Australia.