Kauri (Agathis australis)

Description

Kauri (Agathis australis). Photographer: Wayne Bennett.

Kauri (Agathis australis, also nown as kauri pine) is the only native member of the Araucaceae family. It is a stout, monoecious forest tree that grows to 30-60 m tall and has a trunk 3-4 m in diameter. Kauri is endemic and occurs from Te Paki south to Pukanui (near Kawhia) in the west and in the northern Kaimai Ranges in the east. 
 
Kauri inhabits a forest type all of its own in association with other podocarps and broadleaved species. Follow the link for more information about Kauri-podocarp-broadleaf forests.

Conservation status and kauri dieback

While the species was not listed in 2009 by the National Threatened Plants Committee as Nationally Threatened there is now some concern about dieback caused by Phytophthora taxon Agathis.
 
Commonly known as kauri dieback, Phytophthora taxon Agathis (PTA) is a microscopic fungus-like plant pathogen (a disease causing agent) that only affects kauri. Recent research has identified PTA as a distinct and previously undescribed species of Phytophthora.
 
Kauri dieback is believed to be a soil-borne species spread by soil and soil water movement, plant to plant transmission through underground root-to-root contact, and human and animal vectors.
 

Kauri (Agathis australis). Photographer: Wayne Bennett.

Symptoms include yellowing of foliage, loss of leaves, canopy thinning and dead branches. Affected trees can also develop lesions that bleed resin, extending to the major roots and sometimes girdling the trunk as a ‘collar rot'. Kauri dieback can kill trees and seedlings of all ages. See also the kauri dieback links below.
 
For more information about kauri see*:
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This page last updated on 5 Oct 2012