Pacystegia hunting in Kaikoura

Geoff Elliot reports on December’s Kaikoura Field Trip

Seven of us meet in Kaikoura on Saturday morning 5 Dec 2006; Shirley Ogilvy, Jeff Elliott, Philip Smith, Ian Williams, Murray Mannall, Jim Knight and Diane Knight. A slight change of plans as everybody was based in Kaikoura, so it made it easier to start from there. We all piled in Jeff Elliott’s Transit van and drove up the road to Ward to meet up with Paul and Jo Turner.

After asking some instructions at the Ward store, which I promptly ignored, we turned left and proceeded inland, up up and away, in fact, further up, further in and further away from where we should have been. After about 40 minutes and a talk to a farmer and a phone call from a land line we were winding our way back out and down from nowhere. We were now off to some other spot just as remote but closer to Seddon. After about an hour we were met by a tall sandy-haired, slim, rugged-looking bloke called Mike Watson and his dogs in the middle of a sheep paddock on a farm call Stanley Brook. He said he really didn't even know if there were pacystegia on his property but his neighbour knew all about it.

So back in the van and 5 minutes later - jackpot - the garden of Charles and Clear Waddy. We were taken and shown a perfect specimen of Pacystegia rufa grown in their garden. The plant was growing over a 3 foot limestone rock retaining wall and was in full bloom, postcard stuff. All of a sudden things were looking up. From the garden we proceeded through the farm to some sheer rock outcrops and there they were .... up there!!! There are only a couple of thousand plants of rufa in the wild and probably a third of those were in this outcrop and practically all out of reach. We climbed up a sort of track and got to within photographing distance but trying (as you do) to grab a cutting was another story, with rock climbing skills necessary.

Fortunately the day got a whole heap easier from this point. With a lunch stop at the Kekerengu store and glass of wine our spirits were high. Half the day gone, 1 species done, 4 more to go. After lunch, ablutions and Shirley having to brush her hair, we were off again. Not for long, one minute later and we were looking at a limestone outcrop covered in Pacystegia insignis in full flower. Just stunning! There was probably half an acre - 2000 square meters of 90% Pacystegia insignis in full flower. We roved and fossicked for about an hour; it was just a beautiful spot. We were in Pacystegia heaven.

Back in the van another 15 minutes later; we are on the look out for Pacystegia minor. It was spotted beside the road, but not, as yet, flowering. Quite a different plant, but not a good stopping place. So new driver Philip Smith takes over and we are off the main road again and up Puhi Puhi stream where we also see Sophora microphilla that look more like longacarinata. The Pacystegia in this area is a real mixed bag between minor insignis and the coastal species simply known as species A. The variety and variation growing along the edge of the Puhi Puhi stream and the ease at which they hybridize make for immense variety in this region and it gets, to say the least, rather confusing.

Further up the valley we came across what looked to be a more pure strain of minor but we were a little bewildered all the same. Philip Smith from Taupo had said he had grown some nice forms from one particular spot in the Puhi Puhi in the past. For the coastal species (A), it was back to Kaikoura itself and proceed along towards the seal colony on the point. Again in the limestone outcrops behind the town, there were these very handsome plants of species A. No flowers, but heaps of buds.

Time started to run short and our stomachs informed us of other priorities so a trip inland was off the menu and instead it was a trip to the green dolphin restaurant. It was simply a perfect day and a great evening.