Bibliography of plant checklists and vegetation survey data for Wellington Conservancy (excluding Chatham Islands)
2ND EDITION, JUNE 2001
Bibliography of plant checklists and vegetation survey data for Wellington Conservancy (excluding Chatham Islands)
2nd edition, June 2001
Prepared by John Sawyer
Published by: Department of Conservation P. O. Box 5086 Wellington NEW ZEALAND This bibliography of checklists was prepared by John Sawyer, Wellington Conservancy, Department of Conservation. It was edited by Barbara Mitcalfe, Chris Horne and Pat Enright of the Wellington Botanical Society.
First published 1998 as A bibliography of plant checklists and vegetation survey data sets for areas in Wellington Conservancy (excluding Chatham Islands).
ISBN: 0-478-22044-8
© 2001 Department of Conservation CONTENTS
Executive Summary 1
1. Introduction 2
2. How to compile a plant checklist 7
3. Checklists and survey data 8
3.1 General 8
3.2 Wellington Ecological District 8 Wellington Botanic Garden 8 Wellington City – Khandallah 9 Wellington City – Otari/Wilton’s Bush 9 Wellington – western hills and coast 9 Wellington City – Miramar peninsula 12 Wellington City – Ngaio 13 Wellington City – Karori 13 Wellington City – general 14 Matiu/Somes Island 15 Mokopuna (Leper) Island 15 Makaro (Ward) Island 16 Ngauranga Escarpment 16 Porirua City 16 Colonial Knob 17 Pauatahanui Inlet and catchment 17 Tawa 19 Plimmerton and Taupo Swamp 19 Titahi Bay (including Whitireia Park) 20 Pukerua Bay 21 Hutt Valley and surrounding hills 23 Belmont Regional Park and adjacent areas 24 Paekakariki 25 Papakowhai 25 3.3 Cook Strait Ecological District 25 Kapiti Island 25 Mana Island 27 Kaumanga (Green) Point 27 Makara 27 Pipinui 28 Wellington south coast (Red Rocks, Sinclair Head, Taputeranga Island) 28 3.4 Tararua Ecological District 29 Rimutaka Range – general 29 Rimutaka Forest Park 30 Orongorongo 30 Butterfly Creek 30 Eastbourne Hills (excluding Butterfly Creek) 31 Lowry Bay 31 Wainuiomata 32 Mukamuka 32 Mount Matthews 32 South Rimutaka Coast – general 32 Lake Kohangapiripiri and Lake Kohangatera 33 Fitzroy Bay 34 Baring Head to Turakirae 35 Akatarawa and Western Hutt Hills 35 Maungakotukutuku Valley 36 Kaitawa and Mangaone 36 Pukeatua 37 Eastern Hutt Hills 37 Haywards 38 Pakuratahi 38 Kaitoke 39 Eastern Rimutaka Range 40 Lake Pounui 40 Tararua Range – general 40 Tararua Forest Park 41 Mount Reeves 42 Mount Holdsworth 42 Blue Range 42 Mount Kaiparoro 42 Paraparaumu hills 42 Raumati Escarpment 44 3.5 Foxton Ecological District 44 Foxton – general 44 Hokio 44 Papaitonga 45 Horowhenua 46 Ohau 46 Otaki 46 Pekapeka 47 Waikanae 47 Queen Elizabeth Park 48 3.6 Manawatu Plains Ecological District 49 Manawatu Plains – general 49 Waikanae 49 Otaki 49 Koputaroa 50 Levin 51 3.7 Manawatu Gorge South Ecological District 51 Manawatu Gorge South – general 51 Makahika Scientific Reserve 51 Kohitere 51 3.8 Eastern Wairarapa Ecological District 52 Eastern Wairarapa – general 52 Southern Eastern Wairarapa – Tora, Makara, White Rock 52 Pahaoa 53 Riversdale and Uruti 54 Kaiwhata 54 Tauweru 54 Whangaehu River Valley 54 Kourarau Valley 55 Maungaraki Range 55 Wainuioru 56 Mount Rewa (Rewa Bush Stewardship) and Mount Meridith 57 Taipos (including Rocky Hills Sanctuary Area) 57 Tinui 58 Tiraumea 58 Castlepoint and Mount Percy 58 Pongaroa 58 3.9 Aorangi Ecological District 59 Aorangi Forest 59 Putangirua 59 Cape Palliser 59 3.10 Wairarapa Plains Ecological District 60 Wairarapa Plains – general 60 Lake Wairarapa 60 Lake Onoke and Pounui Lagoon 62 Western Lake Reserve 62 Featherston and environs 63 Carter Scenic Reserve 63 Fensham Reserve (Belvedere Road Bush) 64 Northern Plains – general 64 Masterton 64 Greytown, Gladstone and Carterton 65 Southern Plains – general 67 3.11 Eastern Hawke’s Bay Ecological District 68 Eastern Hawke’s Bay – general 68 3.12 Woodville Ecological District 68 Woodville – general 68 Haukopua 68 Mangahao River 68 Kaiparoro 68 Pahiatua 68 Eketahuna 69 Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre 69 3.13 Puketoi Ecological District 69 Puketoi – general 69 Waewaepa 69 Puketoi 70 Alfredton 70 Makuri 70 Ohinereiata 71 Pipinui 71 Kopuaranga 71 Mount Bruce 71 4. Acknowledgements 72
5. References 72
Appendix 1 Authors and author combinations that have compiled plant checklists and vegetation data for Wellington Conservancy lower North Island New Zealand 73 Map 1 The location and extent of Wellington Conservancy of the Department of Conservation. 2 Map 2 Distribution of checklists in Wellington Conservancy facing 2
Table 1 The Ecological Districts of Wellington Conservancy lower North Island New Zealand, and the number of plant checklists and vegetation data sets compiled for each district 3 Executive Summary
This report is a bibliography of more than 800 plant checklists and vegetation surveys held by the Department of Conservation for areas in Wellington Conservancy.
Checklists and survey data are a source of information about plant distributions and have a variety of applications to the protection of biological diversity.
The Department of Conservation holds this database of information in Wellington (P.O. Box 5086, Wellington). Copies of the plant checklists have also been deposited at the following places: • Botany Department, Auckland Institute and Museum, Auckland;
• herbarium, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (WELT), Wellington;
• library, Landcare Research, Lincoln; and
• herbarium keeper, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington (WELTU).
1 1. Introduction
In six years the Department of Conservation has gathered over 800 plant checklists for areas in the Wellington Conservancy (Map 1). Vegetation surveys, such as those compiled for the Protected Natural Areas Programme, have also been collated. This document provides a reference to all those sources of information about plant biogeography in Wellington Conservancy (excluding the Chatham Islands). This report is an updated version of a previous bibliography (Sawyer 1998) and complements a plant checklist bibliography for the Chatham Islands (Sawyer 2000). Since that first edition in 1998 over 300 plant lists have been added to the database. The lists and survey data have been arranged by Ecological District, and for each
Map 1: The location and extent district the lists have been sorted by principal geographical area (Table 1). The of Wellington Conservancy of distribution of checklists in Wellington Conservancy is shown in Map 2. the Department of Conservation.
MANAWATU GORGE
MANAWATU EASTERN HAWKE'S BAY l e i l i v t o d e ns o Pahiatua k o u u h P Plai t t W a u w o a S n a e M r g PAHIATUA o Levin G
n o u t t x a o w A F a P n a A e M g R n A a R R I A W
Kapiti I a R u
r a S a Paraparaumu r N N m
I a a A Castle Point
R e T U A E r R L T a P A h R Masterton S A Carterton A W T E
Mana I Greytown A P A R A R R I u Porirua Featherston A r o Upper W i Cook n u o Hutt Strait t n g i e Lake a i n Lower g l l n Wairarapa Martinborough W e Hutt a Flat Point W R a R Wellington k ga a an t h u a m m i a u R Lake R N Onoke
I G Palliser N Bay A R O A
Ecological region Cape Palliser Ecological district Conservancy 01020 30 40 50km boundary
2 TABLE 1: THE ECOLOGICAL DISTRICTS OF WELLINGTON CONSERVANCY, LOWER NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND, AND THE NUMBER OF PLANT CHECKLISTS AND VEGETATION DATA SETS COMPILED FOR EACH DISTRICT
ECOLOGICAL DISTRICT NUMBER OF CHECKLISTS AND VEGETATION DATA SETS
General 11
Wellington 237
Cook Strait 55
Tararua 209
Foxton 53
Manawatu Plains 27
Manawatu Gorge South 9
Eastern Wairarapa 92
Aorangi 15
Wairarapa Plains 99
Eastern Hawkes Bay 4
Woodville 13
Puketoi 18
Total number of checklists and data sets 831
Checklists for non-vascular plants are also included. Appendix 1 is a list of all authors and author combinations (176) for references in this bibliography. The number of lists compiled by each is shown after the authors name. Major contributors to the region’s plant database through the compilation of plant checklists include: Tony Druce, Barbara Mitcalfe, Chris Horne, Pat Enright, Isobel Gabites, Colin Ogle, Maggy Wassilieff, Aalbert Rebergen, Olaf John, Wellington Botanical Society, Andrew Townsend, Nick Singers, Tony Silbery and the Department of Conservation.
Plant checklists (providing an inventory of plant species found at a particular place at a given time) and vegetation surveys have a variety of uses. They are used to evaluate the conservation status of indigenous plant species. They are also used in the development of weed control strategies, for monitoring the changing condition of vegetation and for setting priorities for land protection.
There are various other sources of information about the distribution of plants in Wellington Conservancy. They include herbaria, scientific reports (e.g., Partridge 1992) and journals (e.g., the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute). The Department of Conservation has used information from those sources in development of the region’s plant databases. However, references to that information has not been included in this report.
3 1.1 THE USE OF PLANT CHECKLISTS AND VEGETATION SURVEY DATA
Plant checklists and other vegetation survey data sets can be used as a source of information about the geographical distribution of plants. They provide an inventory of biological information for an area and an insight into the plant composition of that area at a particular time. The information presented here has been used by the Department of Conservation to evaluate the conservation status of all indigenous vascular plants found in the Wellington Conservancy. The information has also been used to determine whether species of indigenous plants have a geographical distribution that does not coincide with areas set aside for the protection of biological diversity.
Checklists or survey data sheets can be used for comparative analysis of future changes in plant composition and, therefore, is a monitoring tool. A plant checklist or survey plot data can serve as a guide for anyone visiting a particular place. Detailed plant checklists and survey data for a particular spatial area can also be used and applied in the description and classification of plant communities.
Some plant checklists and vegetation survey data include exotic plants (adventives or non-natives) as well as indigenous species. In those cases that information may be used to determine the geographical distribution of pest plants and may be used to develop strategies for pest plant control.
1.2 LIMITATIONS OF CHECKLISTS AND SURVEY DATA
Plant checklists and the data from vegetation surveys often vary in quality. In some cases the exact area for which the information was compiled is not described. In other cases the amount of search effort is not described. For example, one checklist may have been compiled during one two-hour visit to an area, while another list may be based on numerous visits to the same place at various times of the year over a number of years.
For some plant checklists it is not always clear when the inventory was completed and the date when the checklist was completed is not specified. Some checklists are limited because they are cumulative. Plant taxa not seen during a previous visit may be added to a checklist. However, plant taxa are rarely deleted from lists if they are not seen on any one particular visit. Vegetation succession and disturbance can lead to some species disappearing from an area but it is not always possible to state categorically that a particular species no longer occurs in a specified area. The cumulative nature of some lists can be misleading about what still occurs in an area at a particular time.
Checklist and survey plot data is often not verifiable. Herbarium specimens are rarely collected to verify observations of all plant taxa included on checklists and plot sheets, and so it is not possible to check that the recorded observation was accurate. For some groups of plants the information may become inaccurate because the listed plant taxa have undergone taxonomic revision since the list was compiled. Lists and survey data sheets are rarely updated to reflect the current taxonomic nomenclature. For example, some lists record Pellaea sp. nov. because they were written before Pellaea callidirupium was formally described. Some
4 authors updated their lists regularly but in general the lists reflect the nomenclature of the time when they were written. Some old plant checklists and survey plot sheets record species such as Paratrophis banksii and Elytranthe tetrapetala for which alternative names Streblus banksii and Peraxilla tetrapetala have been proposed and more or less accepted.
Some authors cite previous records from past workers. Some plant species have been included in checklists despite the fact that those species have long since disappeared from the area or were not seen by the person compiling the checklist. The listing of historic records in current checklists can lead to confusion as to when the plant was last recorded in the area. This problem can be overcome if it is clearly stated in the checklist that certain plant taxa were not seen during the survey but have been observed in the past by a particular person at a particular time.
Any plant checklist or survey data reflects the botanical competency of the author(s) of the list at the time the data were collected. In addition, the information is only as good as the amount of effort put into field survey and plant identification by the author(s). In general for the plant checklists and vegetation survey data sets included in this report the level of botanical competency of the authors is high. One can be confident that for most taxonomic groups of dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants the checklists and survey plot data are a good record of what occurs (or occurred) in the areas visited.
One other limitation with many plant checklists is that they are not published and knowledge of their existence is limited to a few people. Copies of unpublished plant checklists can be difficult to obtain. Copies of plant checklists not already included in this bibliography may be sent to the Department of Conservation to be included in the conservancy’s plant database.
1.3 OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES ABOUT PLANT DISTRIBUTIONS
In addition to published and unpublished checklists of plants and vegetation survey data sets (compiled as part of standardised survey programmes) there are various other sources of information about the geographical distribution of plants in Wellington Conservancy. Some examples include: herbarium records (e.g., herbaria at Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Victoria University of Wellington and at the Forest Research Institute); scientific reports (e.g., Partridge 1992), journals (e.g., the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute) and bulletins (e.g., the Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin), unpublished research theses held at universities (e.g., Victoria University of Wellington). References to plant distribution information from many of the above sources have not been compiled in this bibliography.
1.4 LOCATION OF PLANT CHECKLISTS AND SURVEY DATA
A complete set of copies of all the plant checklists included in this bibliography is held by the Department of Conservation at Wellington Conservancy, P.O. Box 5086, Wellington. The vegetation survey plot data sets and Protected Natural Areas survey information is also held by the Department of Conservation at Wellington
5 Conservancy. Additional copies of the plant checklists (but not the vegetation survey data) have been deposited at the following places: • Botany Department of the Auckland Museum in Auckland; • Herbarium of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (WELT) in Wellington; • Landcare Research library at Lincoln; and • Herbarium at the School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington.
6 2. How to compile a plant checklist
Various methods are used to compile plant checklists (when not part of a standardised vegetation survey). The following method is that used in Wellington Conservancy by staff of the Department of Conservation.
A complete survey of the boundary of the area is done, followed by at least two traverses across the site at right angles to the main topographical features. Where there are no clear features to traverse, the search should follow a figure of eight path.
Larger areas should be subdivided into smaller search areas for which separate plant checklists can be prepared. Several visits should be made to an area at different times of the year as some species are not always visible. Some species can be identified reliably only at certain times. Identification of some species such as sun orchids ( Thelymitra sp.) may be possible only at certain times of the day and therefore surveyors should consider this as they plan fieldwork.
The following information should be provided with each plant checklist: • The year and date when the list was compiled. • The search effort (an indication of the number of people who visited the area and the time spent in the field searching for plants). • The names of people involved in preparing the list. • A map showing the area that was searched and for which the plant checklist was prepared. • The central grid reference of the area searched. • For each listed taxon an indication of its abundance (common, uncommon, or specify the number of individual plants seen). • The location of any herbarium vouchers for any of the plant taxa recorded. • An explanation of any abbreviations used in the list (e.g., unc. = uncommon)
The following structural, functional or taxonomic classes may be used for grouping species in a list: gymnosperm trees; monocotyledon trees and shrubs; dicotyledon trees and shrubs; monocotyledon lianes; dicotyledon lianes; lycopods (clubmosses) and psilopsids (fossil ferns); ferns; orchids; grasses; sedges; rushes; monocotyledon herbs (other than orchids, grasses, sedges and rushes); composite herbs; dicotyledon herbs (other than composites); adventives. Species should be listed alphabetically within each group.
Another way is to list species in alphabetical order without groups. Exotic species are commonly indicated by an asterisk and can be listed either among the indigenous species or separately.
Occurrences of plant species recorded previously should be cited when they have not been seen during a survey. Records of previous visitors should be clearly identified on the list. When old records are included, then the following information should be provided: the name of the person who recorded the plant previously at the site; the date of the observation; and a citation of the reference to that record (or the herbarium specimen).
7 3. Checklists and survey data
Checklists of non-vascular plants denoted by an asterisk (*). Checklists of exotic or adventive plant species are denoted by two asterisks (**). Some checklists are included more than once if they refer to more than one geographic area or have been prepared for areas that cross Ecological District boundaries.
3.1 GENERAL
*Anonymous. No date. Some common Wellington Mosses. Unpublished list held by the Department of Conservation.
Buchanan, J. 1874: Notes on the flora of the province of Wellington, with a list of plants collected therein.Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 6:210–235.
Druce, A.P. 1950. Orchids of the Wellington District. Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin 22:4.
Druce, A.P. 1961: Orchids of Wellington District, Notes and Additions (2). Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin 32:14–15.
Druce, A.P. 1967: Orchids of Wellington District, Notes and Additions (3). Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin 34:34.
Druce, A.P. 1966: Small-leaved shrubs in the Wairarapa. Unpublished list held by the Department of Conservation
*Ellis, J. No date: List of seaweeds common in the Wellington area. Unpublished list held by the Department of Conservation.
**Howell, C.; Sawyer, J.W.D. 2000: Pest plant species recorded in Wellington Conservancy. Appendix 3 of “Pest Plant Atlas: Wellington Conservancy excluding the Chatham Islands”. Department of Conservation, Wellington.
Irwin, J.B.; Druce, A.P. 1951: Orchids of the Wellington District: Notes and Additions (1). Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin 25:10.
*Polly, B.; Lewington, R. 1986: A checklist of the mosses of the Wellington Region. Published list.
Wellington Regional Council. 1996–2000. Key Native Ecosystem survey data of areas in Wellington Region. Unpublished report sheets held by Wellington Regional Council.
3.2 WELLINGTON ECOLOGICAL DISTRICT
Wellington Botanic Garden Buchanan, J. 1875: Notes on the Colonial Botanic Garden Wellington and its flora. Facsimile of a paper that was read to the Wellington Philosophical Society (4 October 1875).
8 Myers, S.C. 1985: Indigenous higher plants of Wellington Botanic Gardens Native Forest Remnants. Native Forest Remnants of Wellington City, DSIR.
Myers, S.C. 1987: Native Forest Remnants in Wellington’s Botanic Gardens. Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin 43:32, 40.
Wellington City – Khandallah Anonymous. No date: Apparently indigenous vascular plants of Khandallah Reserve and Kaukau. Unpublished list held by the Department of Conservation.
Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 1993: Some indigenous vascular plants of the true left head of stream flowing northwest from spot height 445 metres (Mt Kaukau), Wellington (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 586956). Unpublished list.
Myers, S.C. 1985: Common Indigenous higher plants of Khandallah Park. Native Forest Remnants of Wellington City, DSIR.
Wellington City – Otari/Wilton Bush Enright, P.; Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J.; Sawyer, J.W.D. 1996: List of indigenous vascular plants in Wilton House Bush, Wilton Bush Road, Wellington (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 575 919). Unpublished list.
Horne, J.C.; Kennett, J.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 2000: Some indigenous vascular plants of Rangiohua, Cecil Road, Wilton, Wellington, centred on NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 58259185, compiled on 27/2/2000, between 12 noon and 1.15 pm.
Marjot, Y.T. 1992: Lists of species found within the Otari Forest Remnant. Sixty years of change in a forest reserve: Otari Plant Museum, Wilton, Wellington, MSc thesis Victoria University of Wellington.
Mead, A. 1974: Wilton Bush. Native Plants in Bush Blocks around Wellington. Unpublished list
Myers, S.C. 1985: Indigenous higher plants of the native forest at Otari Open air native plant museum (compiled from records of J. S. Reid 1984). Native Forest Remnants of Wellington City, DSIR.
Otari Native Botanic Garden. 1993: Propagation, cultivation and location at Otari of Threatened Plants. Unpublished list prepared for the Department of Conservation by staff at the Otari Native Botanic garden.
Wellington – western hills and coast See also Cook Strait Ecological District: Makara and Wellington South Coast (Red Rocks, Sinclair Head, Taputeranga Island).
* Brownsey, P.J. 1993: Mosses of Warren’s Bush, South Makara Road (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 507875). Unpublished list.
Druce, A.P. 1984: Indigenous vascular plants of Tararua Range and Western Wellington Hills, Sea level – 1566 m. Unpublished species list No. 134.
9 Druce, A.P. 1976: Indigenous vascular plants of South Wellington Coast and adjacent hills (within one mile of the sea), from Paekakariki (N160 49–58–) to Te Kaukau Point (N168/9 94–87–), sea level to 1000 ft. Unpublished list number 118.
Enright, P.; John, O.; Mitcalfe, B. 1997: Some indigenous vascular plants of Crofton Downs Bush (Huntleigh Park) (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 578935). Unpublished plant checklist held by the Department of Conservation.
Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 1991: Some indigenous vascular plants of Spooky Gully (=Runaround = Haape) stream and a true left tributary, Wellington South Coast (on Owhiro Bay Quarry Ltd land and on Wellington City Council Te Kopahou Reserve land (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 559 837). Unpublished list.
Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 1993: Some indigenous vascular plants of the true left head of stream flowing northwest from spot height 445 metres (Mt Kaukau), Wellington (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 586956). Unpublished list.
Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 1994: Some indigenous Vascular plants of Waipapa Stream, Te Kopahou Reserve, (south-east of Te Kopahou-Hawkins Hill Ridge), Wellington South Coast (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 544 831). Unpublished list.
Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 1994: Some indigenous vascular plants of the true left head of “Maori Gully” stream, south of Ashton Fitchett Drive, Brooklyn and north of “Maori Gully” landfill, Wellington (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 569 866). Unpublished list.
Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 1993: Some indigenous vascular plants of true right head of “Maori Gully” stream which has its source immediately south of Polhill trig, Wellington (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 567 867). Unpublished list.
Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 1992: Some indigenous vascular plants of Carey Gully stream middle branch (including true left head, flowing almost due south) and true right head, Wellington. (Revised 1994) (NZMS 260 R27 G.R. 557 862). Unpublished list.
Horne, J.C.; Mitcalfe, B.J. 1995: Some indigenous vascular plants of Carey Gully true right head (Burrell, C. &