Tawa (tree)

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Tawa

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Laurales
Family:	Lauraceae
Genus:	Beilschmiedia
Species:	B. tawa

Binomial name

Beilschmiedia tawa
(A.Cunn.) Kirk

Tawa is an important canopy tree

The Tawa tree (Beilschmiedia tawa) is a New Zealand broadleaf tree common in the central parts of the country. Tawa is often the dominant canopy species in lowland forests in the North Island and north east of the South Island, but will also will often form the subcanopy in primary forests throughout the country beneath podocarps such as Kahikatea, Matai, Miro and Rimu. Individual specimens may grow up to 30 metres or more in height with trunks up to 1.2 metres in diameter, and they have smooth dark bark. The word "tawa" is the Maori name for the tree.

Tawa trees produce small inconspicuous flowers followed by 2 - 3.5 cm long fruit of a dark red plum colour. With such large fruits the Tawa is notable for the fact that it relies solely on the Kererū (New Zealand Woodpigeon) and, (where present), the North Island Kōkako for dispersal of its seed. These are the only remaining birds from New Zealand's original biota large enough to consume the fruits of this tree and subsequently process the seeds through their guts and excrete them. Tawa can also support significant epiphyte gardens in their canopies, which are one of the few habitats known to be frequented by the enigmatic, arboreal Striped skink.

This tree gives its name to a northern suburb of Wellington, Tawa.

1 Uses
2 See also
3 External links
4 References

[edit] Uses

One of the few hardwood trees in the country with good timber, the wood of this tree can be used for attractive and resilient floorboarding. Although largely protected in conservation areas and by robust environmental legislation, licences are occasionally granted for the odd fallen tree to be milled for its timber.