Tuateawa Roads.

Carved into the sides of often precipitous valleys the roads to and around Tuateawa are a frequent topic of conversation. When you have negotiated these sections there is a little time for a glance at the immediate surroundings, particularly if you are the passenger. Roads tend to be agents of change in any area and, consequently there are often things of interest to be seen.

Kumerahou,Gorse and Manuka

Native plants establish themselves on the road verges. At the moment Kumerahou, with its golden flowers, is very obvious . It's extracts are often found in herbal face cleansers and eye makeup removers. Some of this is probably due to the soap like chemicals in it's flowers. One of it's many names is Gumdiggers Soap. There is also a myth which suggests that it sprang into existence from one of the rollers used to launch the great Tainui Canoe so it is also known as Golden Tainui.

Mingimingi

Less obvious at the sides of the road is Mingimingi. At first glance, it is very similar to Manuka. Closer inspection shows it to have drooping flower bunches and black stems (which are not due to fire blight). Later, white fruits appear.

Not at all obvious and definitely not native are the pasture plants introduced into the area by early settlers and their descendants. There is a good variety of flowering herbs and an array of grasses with appealing names like Crested Dogstail and Sweet Vernal Grass. They have been largely suppressed in the original pastures, being over topped by Kikuyu after grazing animals were removed. Modern pastures have many fewer species. They are probably more productive but a whole lot more boring! Grazing does still exist on the verges, if only mechanically, by the council mower! Consequently relics of those old pastures still exist. While helping to preserve something of Tuateawa's biological past the mowers are also busy spreading new plant species along the verges. The orange Montbretia is but one example. Recently Blue Eyed Grass has also appeared and become common.

Not all road verges are created equal. This road cutting near Little Bay has been cut through much harder material than that generally found in Tuateawa. Soil formation is very slow on such material. It presents a potentially very dry environment with low quantities of the essential minerals needed for plants to thrive. Some however manage quite well.

This sundew is flowering now and will have formed seed before the dry weather arrives. As a carnivorous plant it is able to supplement its supplies of nitrogen and phosphorus by digesting insects trapped on it's sticky leaves. Gorse is another plant that has an edge in such circumstances. Nitrogen fixing root bacteria help it overtop less favoured native plants.

Hakea bush

Even spinier and more drought resistant than Gorse is the Downy Hakea. An Australian Protea, similar to our garden Grevilleas, it is a real survivor.

Hakea flowering on walkway to Tokaroa Tuateawa

Should the tragedy of fire eventuate Hakea will spring up everywhere as fire breaks the dormancy of it's seeds.

In the future, we may all become a little more familiar with the road verges alongside our properties. Recently T.C.D.C. devolved responsibility for the maintenance of verges onto the respective rural land holder.