rata

n.

Maori name for two New Zealand erector sub-scandent flowering trees, often embracing trunks offorest trees and strangling them: the Northern Rata, Metrosideros robusta, A. Cunn., and the Southern Rata, M. lucida, Menz., both of the N.O. Myrtaceae.The tree called by the Maoris Aka, which is anotherspecies of Metrosederos (M. florida), is also oftenconfused with the Rata by bushmen and settlers.

In Maori, the adj. rata means red-hot, and theremay be a reference to the scarlet appearance of the flower infull bloom. The timber of the Rata is often known as Ironwood, or Ironbark. The trees rise to sixtyfeet in height; they generally begin by trailing downwards fromthe seed deposited on the bark of some other tree near its top.When the trailing branches reach the ground they take rootthere and sprout erect. For full account of the habit of thetrees, see quotation 1867 (Hochstetter), 1879 (Moseley), and1889 (Kirk).

1843. E. Dieffenbach, `Travels in New Zealand,' p. 224:

«The venerable rata, often measuring forty feet incircumference and covered with scarlet flowers – – while its stemis often girt with a creeper belonging to the same family( metrosideros hypericifolia?).»

1848. Rev. R. Taylor, `Leaf from the Natural History of NewZealand,' p. 21:

«Rata, a tree; at first a climber; it throws out aerial roots;clasps the tree it clings to and finally kills it, becoming alarge tree (metrosideros robusta). A hard but not durablewood.»

1854. W. Golder, `Pigeons' Parliament,' canto 1, p. 14:

«Unlike the neighbouring rata cast,

And tossing high its heels in air.»

1867. F. Hochstetter, `New Zealand,' p. 135:

«The Rata ( Metrosideros robusta), the trunk of which,frequently measuring forty feet in circumference, is alwayscovered with all sorts of parasitical plants, and the crownof which bears bunches of scarlet blossoms.»

1872. A. Domett, `Ranolf,' p. 264:

«Nay, not the Rata! howsoe'er it bloomed,

Paling the crimson sunset; for you know,

Its twining arms and shoots together grow

Around the trunk it clasps, conjoining slow

Till they become consolidate, and show

An ever-thickening sheath that kills at last

The helpless tree round which it clings so fast.»

1875. T. Laslett, `Timber and Timber Trees,' p. 310:

«The Rata-Tree ( Metrosideros robusta). This magnificenttree. . . . height 80 to 100 feet . . . a clear stem to 30and even 40 feet . . . very beautiful crimson polyandrousflowers . . . wood red, hard, heavy, close-grained, strong,and not difficult to work.»

1879. H. n. Moseley, `Notes of a Naturalist on Challenger,'p. 278:

One of the most remarkable trees . . . is the Rata. . . .This, though a Myrtaceous plant, has all the habits of theIndian figs, reproducing them in the closest manner. It startsfrom a seed dropped in the fork of a tree, and grows downwardto reach the ground; then taking root there, and gainingstrength, chokes the supporting tree and entirely destroys it,forming a large trunk by fusion of its many stems.Nevertheless, it occasionally grows directly from the soil,and then forms a trunk more regular in form.»

1883. F. S. Renwick, `Betrayed,' p. 39:

«That bark shall speed where crimson ratas gleam.»

1888. Cassell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. iii.p. 210:

«The foliage of many of the large trees is quite destroyed bythe crimson flowering rata, the king of parasites, which havingraised itself into the upper air by the aid of some unhappypine, insinuates its fatal coils about its patron, until it hasabsorbed trunk and branch into itself, and so gatheredsufficient strength to stand unaided like the chief of foresttrees, flaunting in crimson splendour.»

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 263:

«It is invariably erect, never climbing, although bushmen andsettlers frequently state that it climbs the loftiest trees,and sooner or later squeezes them to death in its iron clasp.In proof of this they assert that, when felling huge ratas,they often find a dead tree in the centre of the rata: this isa common occurrence, but it by no means follows that thisspecies is a climber. This error is simply due to imperfectobservation, which has led careless observers to confuse Metrosideros florida [the Akal which is a true climber,with M. robusta.»

1892. `Otago Witness,' Nov. 10 [`Native Trees']:

«Rata, or Ironwood. It would be supposed that almost everycolonist who has seen the rata in bloom would desire to possessa plant.»

1893. `The Argus,' Feb. 4 [Leading Article]:

«The critic becomes to the original author what the New Zealandrata is to the kauri. That insidious vine winds itself roundthe supporting trunk and thrives on its strength and at itsexpense, till finally it buries it wholly from sight andflaunts itself aloft, a showy and apparently independent tree.»