Lichens of a Significant Ecological Area (SEA) in Kohimarama

Abstract

On Monday 13th of April 2015, a brief survey (c. 3 hours) was carried out in the Significant Ecological Area bounded by Allum Street, Kohimarama Road, William Fraser Crescent and Pamela Place ,with the permission of the landowners. The site is a forest remnant largely made up of impressive old, large mahoe ( Melicytus ramiflorus), kanuka ( Kunzea robusta),ngaio (Myoporum laetum), totara (Podocarpus totara), large ponga (Cyathea dealbata), hangehange (Genlostoma ligustrlfollum), kawakawa ( Piper excelsum) and cabbage trees (Cordyline australis), as well as a range of invasive species, with tree privet (Ligustrum lucidum), jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) and ginger (Hedychlum gardnerianum) the most prominent. Lichens, mosses, liverworts (e.g. Frullania fugax and Porlla aff. elegantula), fungi, fems and fern allies such as Tmesipterls sp. are common in the forest remnant.

Some of the mahoe, cabbage trees, ponga and one large totara at 96 and 98 Allum Street are not technically within the current boundaries of the SEA, but as they are part of the same forest remnant, these were also investigated. The objective of the survey was to opportunistically collect lichen species from all available substrates to gain an understanding of the lichen species richness of the site to determine if it would be a useful reference ecosystem for a nearby lichen restoration project with Ngati Whatua at the Whenua Rangatira.