Overview
Tecomanthe speciosa
Habit: Vine.
Claims to fame: Only a single individual is known in the wild. But plants are frequently cultivated for their attractive, glossy leaves and showy, white flowers.
Distribution/ecology: Native only to the Three Kings Islands (c. 55 km north of the North Island).
Relationships: New Zealand’s only native species of the Bignoniaceae family. Close relatives occur in Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and nearby islands.
Identification: The leaves have five or more leaflets, somewhat like kohekohe (Dysoxylum spectabile), but tecomanthe is a vine rather than a tree.
Bush City locations: The upper loop track. Bush City’s plant is becoming quite rampant, and you might even spot the large white flowers amongst the canopy.