Species

Pomaderris kumeraho

Etymology

Pomaderris: lid skin

Common Name(s)

Kumarahou, gum-diggers soap, golden tainui

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Pomaderris kumeraho A.Cunn.

Family

Rhamnaceae

Brief Description

Shrub rarely reaching 4m tall with fuzzy twigs bearing wrinkled blunt-tipped leaves that have very prominent veins on the brownish underside. Leaves 6cm long by 3cm wide, with brownish star-shaped hairs underneath. Flowers pale yellow, in dense round clusters. Fruit dry, small.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

POMKUM

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Has been confused with the somewhat similar but distinctive Tasmanian P. elliptica Labill.

Distribution

Endemic. North Island only from Te Paki to just south of the Kawhia Harbour and Te Kuiti in the west and the northern Bay of Plenty in the east

Habitat

Coastal to lowland, in open, early to mid successional habitats. Often on roadside banks, and in gumland vegetation. Occasionally seen in forested situations.

Similar Taxa

Pomaderris hamiltonii L.B.Moore, which is a small tree with elliptic, dark green leaves, tapering at the base and tip, and by the more open inflorescences bearing cream-coloured flowers

Flowering

September - October

Flower Colours

Yellow

Fruiting

Novermber - January

Propagation Technique

Best from fresh seed which is slow to germinate. Semi-hardwood cuttings will strike but they can be slow and results variable. Best strikes have been achieved when cuttings have been placed in untreated saw dust. An attractive plant for a small garden, prefers full sun, and nutrient poor soils, resents competition, and is prone to phytophora and verticillium wilt

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 24

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Occasionally availabe from garden centres, more often sold by specialist native plant nurseries.

References and further reading

Gardner, R. 1996. Ants and Pomaderris seeds. Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 51: 96-97.

This page last updated on 7 Jan 2014