Metrosideros bartlettii

Metrosideros bartlettii was discovered by John Bartlett, a schoolteacher from Auckland, in 1975. He found an unusual tree growing in Radar Bush, 9.5 km south-east of Cape Reinga. Almost ten years passed before the flowers were collected, making possible a scientific description of the tree. Bartlett's r?t? grows to a height of up to thirty metres, usually beginning life as a hemi-epiphyte on taraire , p?riri , rewarewa or tree ferns . Occasionally, the tree is found growing on the ground on rock outcrops and rocky cliffs. The tree bears white flowers made up of a mass of stamens in November or December. Seed ripens in March or April. The trunk is up to 1.5 m in diameter. Apart from the colour of the flowers, Bartlett's r?t? resembles northern r?t? but can be distinguished by the small white flowers and by the leaves, which taper to a point at the tip, while those of northern r?t? are notched at the tip. Also distinctive is the white or whitish-grey bark that peels easily into soft flakes, which it is tho

Metrosideros bartlettii was discovered by John Bartlett, a schoolteacher from Auckland, in 1975. He found an unusual tree growing in Radar Bush, 9.5 km south-east of Cape Reinga. Almost ten years passed before the flowers were collected, making possible a scientific description of the tree. Bartlett's r?t? grows to a height of up to thirty metres, usually beginning life as a hemi-epiphyte on taraire (Beilschmiedia tarairi), p?riri (Vitex lucens), rewarewa (Knightia excelsa) or tree ferns (Cyathea spp.). More

Metrosideros bartlettii Bark of a young bartletii. Thanks to Steve Bayley for sharing this photo! More