Rare plant found in Wellington after 100 Years

A rare native plant called Te pua o te Rēinga, or wood rose, has been found growing in the wild near Wainuiomata for the first time since 1914. Scientists believed this plant had disappeared from the Wellington area for over 100 years.

The plant, whose scientific name is Dactylanthus taylorii, was discovered by a bird expert who was not even looking for it. He noticed the plants while checking a bird survey site in a forest area that is not open to the public.

This unusual plant is known for being parasitic, which means it depends completely on other trees to live. It doesn’t look like a typical plant and grows mostly underground. Because it’s so rare and hidden, it’s very hard to find.

David Boone from Greater Wellington Regional Council said the plants were in poor condition, but their discovery is still very exciting. “They might be the last members of a very old group that somehow survived,” he explained.

Scientists think these plants could have been quietly living there for many decades. Avi Holzpfel from the Department of Conservation said this is now the southernmost known group of these plants in New Zealand.

In 2020, wood roses were moved from the Waikato region and planted in safe areas like Zealandia and Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush in Wellington. Now, the same team that helped move them is working on a new plan to protect the wild group that was just found.

Experts say looking after the whole forest is important, since the plant needs healthy trees and good pest control to survive. More study is planned to learn how many plants there are and how to keep them safe.