Fruits of the forest: how well do you know our canopy fruit?

7/10/2014

We've got a quiz for you this week; can you match the photos of fruit from different epiphytes, vines and mistletoes to the correct species? Hint: not all of the fruit in these photos is ripe. All photos (c) C. Kirby.

Species:
a. Kohia (Passiflora tetrandra)
b. Tāwhiri karo (Pittosporum cornifolium)
c. Pikirangi (Peraxilla tetrapetala)
d. Pekapeka (Winika cunninghamii)
e. Kahakaha (Collospermum hastatum)
f. Kōwharawhara (Astelia solandri)
g. Pirita (Alepis flavida)
h. Tāpia (Tupeia antarctica)
i. Puawānanga (Clematis paniculata)
j. Kareao (Ripogonum scandens)

Its interesting to see the range of fruit and associated dispersal mechanisms from these plants. How well did your matching go?

Here are the answers. Highlight the following with your cursor (best done on the website rather than email):
1-j 2-f 3-e 4-h 5-c 6-b 7-i 8-g 9-a 10-d

5 Comments

Epiphyte link

21/10/2014 07:00:01 pm

The only one I knew was the orchid. :( So...are any of these canopy fruits edible? I was thinking of writing a blog entry on edible epiphytes. There are actually quite a few. Perhaps with some species you're presented with a perfect dilemma. You can't decide whether to eat the fruit or sow the seeds.

Catherine

28/10/2014 01:54:55 pm

Hiya, a few of these are edible but in this situation you are presented with a second dilemma... you CAN eat them but they don't really taste very good. Your blog entry would be more than welcome :)

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6/7/2024 07:24:44 am

Loved reading this thannk you

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Catherine Kirby

I work with NZ's native vascular epiphytes at the University of Waikato. I completed an MSc on epiphyte ecology and the shrub epiphyte Griselinia lucida and have recently published the Field Guide to NZ's Epiphytes, Vines & Mistletoes.

For me, the highlights of epiphyte research are the many unknowns, the amazing way that these plants survive in the canopy, and of course tree climbing!

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