Thread: Native plant identification

Originally Posted by footsore

Deer food:

Broadleaf / Kapuka / Griselinia littoralis
Bushmans Friend / Rangiora / Brachyglottis repanda
Crown Fern / Kiokio / Blechnum discolor - Whitetail
Five Finger / Whauwhaupaku / Pseudopanax arboreus
Seven Finger / Pate / Schefflera digitata
Stinkwood / Hūpiro / Coprosma foetidissima
Pepper Wood / ??? / ???
Whiteywood / Mahoe / Melicytus ramiflorus
Wild Irishman / Matagouri / Discaria toumatou - Fallow


Nasty

??? / Karaka / Corynocarpus laevigatus - has a poisonous seed in its fleshy orange fruit
??? / Tītoki / Alectryon excelsus – contains cyanide-producing poisons
Bushmans Lawyer / Tātarāmoa / Rubus cissoides
Cutty grass / Toetoe / Austroderia
Blueberry lilly, Inkberry / Turutu / Dianella Nigra - (purple) berries poisonous
Gorse / ??? / Ulex europaeus
Hookgrass/ ??? / Uncinia spp.
Kangaroo Apple / Poroporo / Solanum aviculare, S. laciniatum – their unripe green berries are poisonous
Kowhai / Kowhai / Sophora species – its yellow seeds are poisonous if chewed.
Leatherwood / ? / Oleria colensoi
Mousehole Tree / Ngiao / Myoporum Laetum - has poisonous leaves
Spear Grass / ??? / ???
Stinging Nettle / Onga Onga / Urtica Ferox
Tutu / Tutu / Coriaria arborea - just about every part of the tree (roots, bark, berries) is poisonous



Usefull / Medicinal

??? / Koromiko / Hebe stricta - eating young leaves is a remedy for constipation
??? / Kowhai / Sophora spp.
Dock / ??? / ??? - treatment for Onga Onga sting
Flax / Harakeke / Phormium colensoi & tenax - pulp of leaves & roots, heated, use for infections and boils
Manuka / Manuka / Leptospermum scoparium - leaves made into tea for fever, ash for dandruff
Mousehole Tree / Ngiao / Myoporum Laetum - repel sandflys and mosquito by rubbing the leaves on your skin
Pepper Tree / Kawa Kawa / Macropiper excelsum - toothache, upset tummy
Pepperwood / Horopito / Pseudowintera colorata - leaves & tender branches steeped, use for chafing, wounds, bruises, cuts
Rata / Rata / ???


Edible (human)

??? / Hinau / Elaeocarpus dentatus
??? / Karaka / Corynocarpus laevigatus - flesh of berries, seed is poisonous
??? / Kiekie / Freycinetia banksii
??? / Tawa / Beilschmiedia tawa
Black tree fern / Mamaku / Cyathea medullaris
Cabbage tree / Ti Kouka / Cordyline australis - center of the head of the tree ,the base or pith(the white bit) of the spear like center can be eaten raw
Fern root / Aruhe / Pteridium esculentum - carbohydrate, root cooked, then beaten to remove hard outer skin
Sow Thistle / Puha / ???
Suplejack / Kareao / Ripogonum scandens - soft tips are edible
Watercress / Kowhitiwhiti / ???

Great thread ebf

I've made a few notes for myself that I take with me out hunting including some on deer browse plants. They aren't to hand at the moment but I'll hunt them out and compare notes.
Just looking at your list now off the top of my head...
Matagouri I'm not sure deer browse on these shrubs [as they have pretty thorny defences] but you often find deer, or sign, around them. I'd say that deer are there for the grass and the matagouri offers them the security of being able to graze within the cover of the shrubs.
Pepperwood I don't think this is a favourite deer fodder, I'm sure they will browse on it when their other options are limited, but it's not something they'd seek out. Maybe it's a seasonal thing ie in the hard times of winter.

I'd add my favourite alpine snack to your human edibles list Snowberries - yum
Also Kawakawa makes a nice tea -hardly dilmah, but is quite refreshing.

One thing I've been meaning to ask about is -are there any clear plant preferences that the stags have for stripping or polishing their antlers?

Stags hunt Tanekaha with a passion for the rub up. But they will use Pepperwood this seems to be second choice. Mountain Celery another choice. If there is not a lot of these species they will use manuka, kanuka and anything else available.

A lot depend on the forest type they live In of course. The deer seemed to instinctively know that the top three tree types give a beautiful brown glow to their antlers. Farm deer will often have a dull grey coloured antler because prefered types are just not available.

Up in the Alpine area we hunt there might only be one tiny Tanekaha in 500 hect of tussock and scrub but the stags find them alright and thrash the hell out of them.

Interesting Tanekaha bark boiled was a favourite for years of the home tanner, It gave the skins a nice brown finish.