Maire tawake (Syzygium maire) or swamp maire is now a rarely encountered tree in the western part of the Bay of Plenty. It is adapted to live in high rainfall areas and in soils with poor drainage. These waterlogged soils and swamp forest habitat have all but disappeared due to the drainage of almost all lowland wetland areas for agriculture and horticulture.

As a member of the myrtle family, this tree is threatened by the fungal disease called mrytle rust, which was first detected in NZ in 2017 (it’s a wind-borne disease). Maire tawake is severely susceptible and experiences infection on leaves, stem and flower structures.

Almost all the mature trees we have found so far in the northern Tauranga moana are in poor health and/or dying. Maire tawake is facing functional extinction as the trees are unable to produce viable seeds. That said, it’s likely there are trees that are more resistant to myrtle rust naturally.

Project Parore have secured a small amount of funding to help us locate as many local trees as possible that are still able to flower and fruit. The plan is to collect their seed and propagate as many seedlings as we can, with the aim of establishing a more resistant population.  We don’t have any time to lose, so the more eyes out looking for healthy maire tawake in our catchments, the better.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND MAIRE TAWAKE

Please call us 07 808 3082 or email hello@projectparore.nz.

If you can, join our project on iNaturalist NZ and record your observation.

Identifying characteristics

Maire tawake is one of our more unique tree species due to it having orange-brown breathing roots (pneumatophores) that extend above ground. You’ll find near freshwater, up to 16 m high with a trunk up to 60 cm diameter. The bark is smooth and can be quite white. Leaves are thin, shiny, arranged in opposite pairs on the stem, and often with red blotches and blisters.

For more images and detailed descriptions to help you identify maire tawake, visit the The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network page.

Moth at risk

A single species of tree being lost from the ecosystem might not seem like a big deal, but it has many knock-on effects. One impact we know about is on the wee moth, Macarostola miniella (see image on the right). The ONLY known host plant of this colourful species of endemic moth is maire tawake. No maire tawake, no moth.

For more information on, & observations of, the maire moth, click here

If you find myrtle rust – click here