Beilschmiedia tarairi

taxobox
name = Taraire

---

regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Magnoliids
ordo = Laurales
familia = Lauraceae
genus = "Beilschmiedia"
species = "B. tarairi"
binomial = "Beilschmiedia tarairi"
binomial_authority = A. Cunn.
synonyms = "Laurus tarairi" A.Cunn.,
"Nesodaphne tarairi" (A.Cunn.) Hook.f.|

Taraire, "Beilschmiedia tarairi", is a tree of the Lauraceae family, endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is a common canopy tree in lowland forests north of Auckland, often growing in association with kauri ("Agathis australis"), pōhutukawa ("Metrosideros excelsa"), tawapou ("Pouteria costata"), and with pūriri ("Vitex lucens") on basalt rocks and soils. "Beilschmiedia" is a genus of about 40 mainly tropical trees and shrubs with alterate to opposite leaves.

Distribution

Taraire only occurs in the North Island north of 38°S latitude. It is most common north of Auckland and Thames at about 37°S. However scattered populations of the tree occur on the west coast between Port Waikato and the Kawhia Harbour, and inland at Pukemokemoke. On the east it occurs in scattered locations to East Cape.

Description

(New Zealand Pigeon).

Taraire is a very distinct species of tropical appearance whose broad, dark-green, leaves with their distinctive depressed veins, and large, erect plum-like dark purple fruits distinguish it from all other indigenous trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Taraire is one of three endemic "Beilschmiedia" species in New Zealand. The others are the common canopy tree tawa, ("B. tawa"), which has thin willow-like leaves, and the tawaroa ("B. tawaroa") which is similar to tawa but has broader leaves.

Propagation and conservation

Propagation is easy from fresh seed, and better germination results if the flesh surrounding the seed is removed. It is not regarded as threatened, but future dispersal may be limited because the increasingly rare New Zealand pigeon is the only species which can disperse the large seeds of the taraire, which pass through its gut unharmed.

Uses

The wood of the taraire is straight-grained but brittle and prone to split, and is not durable when exposed to the elements. It has been used for flooring, light carts, furniture, picture frames, ship's blocks, and firewood.

References

*cite web |title="Beilschmiedia tarairi" |work=New Zealand Plant Conservation Network |url= http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/vascular_plants/detail.asp?PlantID=1577|accessdate=2007-06-24
*cite web |title="Beilschmiedia tarairi" |work=Flora of New Zealand |url= http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_94b28ac3-9157-4d3e-ae1a-6a9a32fdc742&fileName=Flora%201.xml |accessdate=2007-06-24
*cite web |title="Beilschmiedia" |work=Flora of New Zealand |url= http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_44fb4980-2682-48e7-9e6a-211712f30fc1&fileName=Flora%201.xml |accessdate=2007-06-24
*W. Mary McEwen, 1978.cite web |title=The food of the New Zealand Pigeon ("Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae") |work=New Zealand Journal of Ecology, Vol 1: 99-108, p99 |url=http://www.nzes.org.nz/nzje/free_issues/NZJEcol1_99.pdf |accessdate=2007-06-29
*A. E. Wright, 1984. cite web |title="Beilschmiedia" Nees (Lauraceae) in New Zealand |work=New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1984, Vol. 22: 109-125 |url= http://www.rsnz.org/publish/nzjb/1984/10.pdf |accessdate=2007-06-29