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Story: Rural language

Bush lawyer

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Bush lawyer

Bush lawyer or tātarāmoa (Rubus schmidelioides) is a clinging prickly plant and can be a hazard for people walking through bush. The English name is a humorous reference to the way the vine entangles the unsuspecting.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Maggy Wassilieff

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How to cite this page

Dianne Bardsley, Rural language – Settling the land, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/18597/bush-lawyer (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Dianne Bardsley, published 1 March 2009.