Ngaio

myoporum laetum

The Ngaio is a resilient, fast-growing evergreen shrub or small tree native to coastal New Zealand. Widely known for its incredible tolerance to harsh coastal winds and salt spray, this species plays a vital ecological role in stabilizing dunes and cliff edges. It is often cultivated as a robust hedge or shelterbelt in exposed coastal gardens. While it provides excellent shelter and produces berries favored by native birds, almost all parts of the plant—especially the leaves—contain 'ngaione', a toxic essential oil that protects the plant from mammalian herbivores.

生息地: Commonly found in coastal environments including cliffs, sand dunes, rocky shores, and lowland coastal forests throughout New Zealand.

外見

Ngaio typically grows as a sprawling shrub or rounded tree reaching heights of 1 to 10 meters. It features lance-shaped, bright green leaves that feel somewhat fleshy or leathery to the touch and are covered in unique, translucent gland dots visible when held to the light. In spring and summer, it produces small, star-shaped white flowers speckled with distinct purple spots, which later develop into succulent, reddish-purple oblong fruits (drupes) about 5 to 8 millimeters long.

界Plantae門Tracheophyta綱Magnoliopsida目Lamiales科Scrophulariaceae属Myoporum

Ngaio

カテゴリ

植物

レア度

Common

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

スナップ

最初にスナップしよう！

おもしろい事実

Despite its medicinal and insect-repelling uses, the plant is highly toxic to livestock like horses and sheep, causing severe liver damage if consumed.

Indigenous Māori historically rubbed the bruised leaves of the ngaio tree directly onto their skin to repel biting mosquitoes and sandflies.

The translucent dots on the leaves are actually tiny oil-secreting glands, making the leaves look like they have been pierced with pins when held up to the light.

特殊能力

The leaves feature thousands of tiny, translucent glands containing ngaione, a toxic oil that deters insect pests and mammalian herbivores from feeding on them.

It possesses thick, leathery leaves and a flexible wood structure that allows it to withstand extreme coastal salt spray and gale-force winds.

With a wide-reaching and deep root system, the ngaio can firmly anchor itself in shifting sands, helping to prevent erosion along coastal dunes.

サイズと詳細

長さ: 100-1000 cm
寿命: 30-80 年

食性と食事

Ngaio is a photosynthetic plant that manufactures its own organic compounds and energy using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and essential nutrients absorbed from the soil.

主な食物

Sunlight
Water
Carbon dioxide
Soil minerals

生態系とのつながり

mutualism

Kereru

Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae

The native pigeon consumes the ripe purple fruits and acts as a major seed disperser for the tree.

eaten by

Ngaio Thrips

Klambothrips myopori

An invasive pest insect that feeds extensively on the young foliage, causing severe leaf galling and damage.

mutualism

Tui

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae

Visits the small white flowers to feed on nectar, assisting in the pollination of the plant.

特徴

このオブジェクトにはまだ特徴バッジが割り当てられていません。

別名

まだ別名はありません。

コレクション

テーマが追加されると、このオブジェクトのコレクションがここに表示されます。

安全性

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。

よくある質問

Ngaioを見分けるには？

Ngaioを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。

Ngaioの長さは何ですか？

100-1000 cm

Ngaioの寿命は何ですか？

30-80 年

Ngaioは何を食べますか？

Ngaio is a photosynthetic plant that manufactures its own organic compounds and energy using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and essential nutrients absorbed from the soil.

Ngaioは通常どこに生息していますか？

Commonly found in coastal environments including cliffs, sand dunes, rocky shores, and lowland coastal forests throughout New Zealand.