Kōrero: Native plants and animals – overview

Male and female kahikatea

Male and female kahikatea

Most plants on earth are hermaphrodites – they bear both male and female flowers. But the kahikatea, like most New Zealand conifers, has separate female (top) and male (bottom) plants. Many other New Zealand plant species also have male and female flowers on separate plants, which is unusual. One advantage is that female plants will out-cross to separate male plants, avoiding self pollination.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Department of Conservation
Reference: 10049535 (top); 10049534 (bottom)

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Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Te tuhi tohutoro mō tēnei whārangi:

Bob Brockie, 'Native plants and animals – overview - Unusual plant features', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/mi/photograph/10625/male-and-female-kahikatea (accessed 29 March 2024)

He kōrero nā Bob Brockie, i tāngia i te 24 Sep 2007