Information for Juniors

Five Finger

  • Five-finger is common as a pioneer in forest regrowth.
  • Found throughout the North and South Islands in lowland forests and shrubland.
  • It grows up to Sm tall with trunk up to 30cm in
    diameter.

Bark & Foliage

⦁ The young bark is brown and smooth with prominent leaf scars, it becomes rough with age.
⦁ Leaves are large, thick and shiny on the upper surface with 5- 7 leaflets, the leaf stalk is up to 20cm long with a well developed, swollen sheath partly enclosing the stem.

Flowers and Seeds

⦁ Flowers are large, male and female flowers are on separate trees although male trees sometimes have female flowers too.
⦁ Flowers are up to 5mm in diameter opening during winter from conspicuous red-purple buds.
⦁ Fruits are berry like almost black, slightly flattened, with 2 seeds, they ripen from spring to summer
⦁ Pollination is by insects and seed dispersal by birds.

Interesting Facts

⦁ The gum was used in join of water vessels to prevent leakage.
⦁ The bark was sometime used to make small water vessels and used when green to make skids for hauling canoes.
⦁ Waiapu natives say that the wood taken from trees growing in exposed conditions was used for fashioning flutes.

Information for Junior Secondary

Five Finger

  • Five-finger is common as a pioneer in forest regrowth.
  • Found throughout the North and South Islands in lowland forests and shrubland.
  • It grows up to Sm tall with trunk up to 30cm in
    diameter.

Bark & Foliage

⦁ The young bark is brown and smooth with prominent leaf scars, it becomes rough with age.
⦁ Leaves are large, thick and shiny on the upper surface with 5- 7 leaflets, the leaf stalk is up to 20cm long with a well developed, swollen sheath partly enclosing the stem.

Flowers and Seeds

⦁ Flowers are large, male and female flowers are on separate trees although male trees sometimes have female flowers too.
⦁ Flowers are up to 5mm in diameter opening during winter from conspicuous red-purple buds.
⦁ Fruits are berry like almost black, slightly flattened, with 2 seeds, they ripen from spring to summer
⦁ Pollination is by insects and seed dispersal by birds.

Interesting Facts

⦁ The gum was used in join of water vessels to prevent leakage.
⦁ The bark was sometime used to make small water vessels and used when green to make skids for hauling canoes.
⦁ Waiapu natives say that the wood taken from trees growing in exposed conditions was used for fashioning flutes.

Information for Seniors

Five Finger

  • Five-finger is common as a pioneer in forest regrowth.
  • Found throughout the North and South Islands in lowland forests and shrubland.
  • It grows up to Sm tall with trunk up to 30cm in
    diameter.

Bark & Foliage

⦁ The young bark is brown and smooth with prominent leaf scars, it becomes rough with age.
⦁ Leaves are large, thick and shiny on the upper surface with 5- 7 leaflets, the leaf stalk is up to 20cm long with a well developed, swollen sheath partly enclosing the stem.

Flowers and Seeds

⦁ Flowers are large, male and female flowers are on separate trees although male trees sometimes have female flowers too.
⦁ Flowers are up to 5mm in diameter opening during winter from conspicuous red-purple buds.
⦁ Fruits are berry like almost black, slightly flattened, with 2 seeds, they ripen from spring to summer
⦁ Pollination is by insects and seed dispersal by birds.

Interesting Facts

⦁ The gum was used in join of water vessels to prevent leakage.
⦁ The bark was sometime used to make small water vessels and used when green to make skids for hauling canoes.
⦁ Waiapu natives say that the wood taken from trees growing in exposed conditions was used for fashioning flutes.

Activities

  1. TBS