The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

A couple of small groupings of Pomaderris phylicifolia occur in reserves on Auckland's North Shore (such as at Centennial Park), and I'm told (on good authority) that they are naturally occurring. However, its range is listed as extending as far south as near Orewa. Are those North Shore plants genuinely naturally occurring, or is it difficult to say in their case ? (hence the listing of a range that doesn't come down that far)

I am always dubious of these sorts of claims - unless I see specimens. This species extends to the northern Waikato (or it did once anyway). Pomaderris phylicifolia once grew locally around Silverdale and Mangawhai but all populations i know of were destroyed by housing, roading, spraying and natural succession - it may still be around. However, all I have seen in Kauri Park, Centennial Park and other North Shore Reserves is the large-leaved race of P. amoena. Are these plants flowering now?

Ack I meant Kauri Point - Kendalls Bay

Thanks Peter. They are flowering now. It's interesting about the larger-leaved P. amoena. I figured that there was a reason for the distribution not extending that far south (including in 'Threatened Plants Of NZ'). However, any clarification on the identity of the North Shore plants is missing from any other documents that note their presence. I was curious about what you knew, as P. phylicifolia is all over the shop when it comes to historical distribution data, and therefore it is a little challenging to discern where genuine P. phylicifolia occurs.

I am not sure if it is either or but happy to provide a sample.

What is interesting is that it is not only in Centennial Park but also Greville Reserve and Lyford Bush. These parks are all about 1km away from each other.

With the comment that they are flowering now I would think this is P. amoena (which is flowering now) rather than P. phylicifolia (which flowers October - December). However, flowering can overlap. Without images and specimens I dislike confirming either way. What are these documents you refer to? I was just in AK and they have no specimens of P. phylicifolia from 'North Shore'. So I remain deeply suspicious not least because I know Graeme Platt sold this species in the 1970s and some of his stock was planted out in Auckland reserves by well intention reserve managers of the time. Anyway, I can't help further - suggest you collect and lodge a specimen at AK and ask that I look at it.

Thanks Peter. By documents, I meant Council lists and a couple of reports (which are of a more informal nature). No herbarium records. You've given me as much information as I was keen to know. I prefer to know unequivocally that something is indigenous to a given spot if I am looking into it, and it sounds like there is a reasonable degree of doubt around that. I'm going up to Te Paki in November; I'll get excited about it up there.