Rangiora is commonly found in scrub and lowland forest throughout the North Island and upper South Island.
Its giant papery leaves with furry undersides mean it's known as bushman’s toilet paper.
The leaves are said to have an antiseptic quality and were used to cover sores and wounds, though they are toxic ifchewed or swallowed by humans and cause ‘staggers’ in stock.
Newly growingrangiorashoots are covered in a brown felt-like velvet, but it is said this is where the poison is mostconcentrated.
The tree has masses of tiny, fragrant creamy yellow flowers in spring, and then when dried, the seed disperses by wind.
The lighter coloured undersides ofrangioraleaves made good track markers.
The namerangioratranslates as ‘rangi’ (sky) and ‘ora’ (health or vitality), and this plant is a symbol of health and vitalityfor Māori.
TheBrachyglottisgenus belongs to the daisy family, which includes dandelions, daisies and sunflowers.