King fern – Aongatete is home to a remnant population of this beautiful, large fern. Susceptible to deer browse, the plants have now been fenced in and some specimens translocated to a more accessible display area that has also been fenced. Classified as At Risk -Declining.
Toropapa – Delightfully scented, this shrub is very common in the forest.
Raukawa – Another plant very susceptible to browsing, particularly from deer. It only survives at Aongatete in small numbers where it has established epiphytically on tree ferns out of the reach of deer.
Ileostylus micranthus – Green mistletoe is very rare at Aongatete and has only been observed growing on totara.
Fan fern (Schizaea dichotoma) – Small patches of this rare and unusual looking fern can be found in the forest. Classified as At Risk – Naturally Uncommon.
Mida salicifolia – This plant is easily mistaken for a white maire, but is a small hemiparasitic tree that derives some of its nutrients from the roots of other trees. Classified as At Risk – Declining.
Kawaka – There are a handful of beautiful specimens of this large native cedar at Aongatete. Previously classified as At Risk – Naturally Uncommon, it’s now Not Threatened but nevertheless remains sparse in its overall distribution.
Brachyglottis kirkii – Aongatete is home to both varieties of this shrub. B. kirkii var. angustior is abundant in places, whilst the much rarer epiphytic variety, B kirkii var. kirikii (classified as Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable) is only occasionally observed. They both have large, beautiful daisy-like flowers.
Northern rata – This tree is to be found at various stages in its lifecycle, from a small epiphyte tentatively growing its roots down the trunk of a host tree to large mature emergent trees. It is also to be found establishing terrestrially in places.
Poroporo (Solanum aviculare) – Not to be confused with its close relative, the common Solanum laciniatum, this shrub is now classified as Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable. It is present at Aongatete in very low numbers.
Ramarama – This small tree with its attractive bullate leaves often grows unobserved in the forest. Owing to the threat from myrtle rust, to which it appears particularly susceptible, this species is now classified as Threatened – Nationally Critical.
Lindsaea – All three species of Lindsaea ferns may be found at Aongatete. L. viridis, which grows on river banks is classified as Threatened – Naturally Uncommon.
Dactylanthus taylorii – A fully parasitic plant that grows underground on the roots of certain trees, but which flowers above ground in summer. The plant causes a deformation in the host root that used to be collected and preserved as “wood roses”. Seeds have been sown at Aongatete, but will take many years to establish. Classified as Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable.
Tupeia Antarctica – Seeds of white mistletoe were recently sown at Aongatete. It will take some years to know if establishment was successful. Classified as At Risk – Declining.
