2011 Favouriute Native Plant results
The annual favourite native plant vote has produced a clear winner for 2011. Bamboo rush, or giant wire rush (Sporadanthus ferrugineus) received the most votes, clearly beating kauri. Sporadanthus ferrugineus highlights many of the issues surrounding New Zealand’s plants and ecosystems. Relatively new to science, this handsome and impressively tall restiad is now found only in the Waikato region because 95% of its wetland habitat has been destroyed Thousands of votes were cast by plant enthusiasts from New Zealand and around the world with over 140 different species nominated. There were some newcomers to the Top 10 list this year including two liverworts as well as some old favourites like pohutakawa and ongaonga. The results of the vote are on the Network website. The Top 10 species are:
2011 Favourite Native Plant
1. Bamboo rush, giant wire rush (Sporadanthus ferrugineus)
2. Kauri (Agathis australis)
3. New Zealand calceolari (Jovellana sinclairii)
4. Beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis)
5. Kirk’s kohukohu (Pittosporum kirkii)
6. Ongaonga (Urtica ferox)
7. Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa)
8. A liverwort (Frullania wairua)
9. A liverwort (Lejeunea hawaikiana)
10. Surville Cliffs kohukohu (Pittosporum serpentinum)
You can read more about these species by clicking on them to see their fact sheets or reading this short blurb here.