Wood rose
Dactylanthus taylorii Hook.f.
Dactylanthus taylorii, known as wood rose, is a parasitic flowering plant in the Balanophoraceae family. It is the only species of its kind native to New Zealand, found in both the North and South Islands. This plant forms a burl-like structure on its host tree, which resembles a fluted wooden rose. Its flowers emerge on the forest floor and are pollinated by a ground-foraging bat species.
Description
Dactylanthus taylorii is a fully parasitic plant in the Balanophoraceae family, endemic to New Zealand. It grows on host trees, inducing the formation of a burl-like structure that resembles a fluted wooden rose. The plant's flowers appear on the forest floor and are pollinated by a native bat species. This species was first described in 1859 by Hook.f. and is known by the common name 'wood rose' in English and 'te pua o te rēinga' in Māori.
Other common names
Wood rose
Distribution
New Zealand North · New Zealand South