Putaputawētāis a small, spreading tree in coastal to montane forest throughout New Zealand.
It has rough, greyish bark, and small, white flowers in spring. The fruit is a black seed capsule that occurs in summer andis distributed by birds.
One tree contains both male and female reproductive parts.
Its leaves are a marbled light and darker green.
Its juvenile form has zigzagging branches.
The tree is calledputaputawētābecause of the number ofwētāthat live in holes created bypūririmoth larvae. It's alsoa host to the small brown bush ant, which feeds on the wound left by the moth larvae.