Taurepo - Rhabdothamnus solandri - New Zealand Gloxinia Taurepo is a small, delicate looking native shrub that grows to 2 metres. It is only found in the North Island in a variety of locations such as forests, near streams, or on banks. The distinctive red and yellow trumpet shaped flowers are principally adapted for bird pollination. It is thought that in the past Rhabdothamnus solandri needed the long beaks of stitchbirds and bellbirds for pollination. It is now recorded that the colonist silvereye are nectar robbers of the flower by going through the side of the flower tube leaving holes. While doing this they partly maintain pollination for this species and without this compensation, these plants would be significantly more pollen-limited. Taurepo flowers throughout the year, but peak flowering season is between October to February. East Tunnel Mouth Track, just off the northern end of the Scenic Drive, currently has a beautiful display of flowering taurepo along the east side of the track. (Note, this track, although only 1.2km, is very steep and precarious from the Scenic Drive end.) terrain.net.nz naturewatch.org.nz East Tunnel Mouth Track - January 2015
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 07:37:22 +0000
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