Egmont National Park

 

Localization

Southwest corner of the New Zealand´s North Island, south of the town of New Plymouth.

Access

Easy

Characteristic

335 km²; Mountainous area in the radius of about nine kilometers around the Mt. Egmont volcano - typical cone (2518 m) dominating to flat surrounding landscape. Very high annual precipitation. Typical ecosystems: mountains, alpine and volcanic ecosystems, lush temperate zone forests, freshwater ecosystems (rivers) and wetlands. There many waterfalls in the park area. Various volcanic activity demonstrations - lava flows, etc. Ahukawakawa Swamp is of particular ecological interest with its wide range of plants adapted to survive in acidic soils and very low temperatures. Beech forests are completely missing.

Fauna + Flora

Birds:

Struthioniformes - Kiwis (Apteryidae): Brown Kiwi

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Blue Duck

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae):  New Zealand Pigeon

Perching Birds - New Zeanad Wrens (Acanthisittidae):  Rifleman

- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae):  Richard´s Pipit

- Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae):  New Zealand Bellbird

- Australian Robins (Petroicidae):  New Zealand Tit

- Old World Warblers (Sylviidae): New Zealand Fernbird

Fish:

Osmeriformes - Galaxiids (Galaxiidae): Climbing Galaxias (Galaxias brevipinnis); Banded Kokopu (Galaxias fasciatus); Giant Kokopu (Galaxias argenteus); Shortjaw Kokopu (Galaxias postvectis)

Onychophora:

Euonychophora - Peripatidae: Peripatus sp. - phylogenetically very old genus which shares characters with both arthropods and annelids

 

Plants:

550 species of indigenous vascular plants

Psilotophytes:

Psilotales - Psilotaceae: Tmesipteris elongata, T. lanceolata and T. tannensis

Lycophytes:

Lycopodiales - Lycopodiaceae: Clubmosses (Lycopodium billardieri, L. scariosum, L. varium and L. volubile)

Ferns:

Cyatheales - Tree Ferns (Cyatheaceae): Silver Fern (Cyathea dealbata); Gully Tree Fern (Cyathea cunninghamii); Soft Tree Fern (Cyathea smithii); Mamaku (Cyathea medullaris)

- Dicksoniaceae: Hard Tree Fern (Dicksonia squarrosa); Wheki-ponga (Dicksonia fibrosa)

Polypodiales - Polypodiaceae: Anarthropteris lanceolata and A. tenella; Ctenopteris heterophylla; Phymatosorus diversifolius, Ph. novae-zelandiae a Ph. scandens; Dwarf Polypodies (Grammitis billardieri, G. magellanica and G. patagonica); Pyrrosia serpens

- Dryopteridaceae: Hollyferns (Polystichum cystostegia, P.silvaticum, P. richardii and P. vestitum); Iron Ferns (Rumohra adiantiformis); Shieldferns (Lastreopsis glabella, L. hispida and L. microsora)

- Brake Ferns (Pteridaceae): Brake Ferns (Pteris macilenta and P. tremula); Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum cunninghamii)

- Woodsiaceae: Ladyfern (Athyrium australe)

- Spleenworts (Asplenidaceae):  Hen and Chicken Fern (Asplenium bulbiferum); Sickle Speenwort (Asplenium polyodon) and Spleenwotrs (Asplenium flaccidum, A. gracillimum, A. hookerianum and A. oblongifolium)

- Maiden Ferns (Thelypteridaceae):  Air Fern (Pneumatopteris pennigera)

- Dennstaedtiaceae: Batwing Fern (Histiopteris incisa); Beadferns (Hypolepis ambigua and H. rufobarbata); Bracken Fern (Pteridium esculentum); Paesia scaberula

- Midsorus Ferns (Blechnaceae): Midsorus Ferns (Blechnum chambersii, B. colensoi, B. discolor, B. filiforme, B. fluviatile. B. membranaceum, B. nigrum and B. vulcanicum)

- Lindsaeaceae: Necklace Ferns (Lindsaea trichomanoides and L. viridis)

- Oleandraceae: Arthropteris tenella

Osmundales - Osmundaceae: Leptopteris hymenophylloides and L. superba

Ophioglossales - Ophioglossaceae: Adderstongue (Ophioglossum coriaceum); Grapefern (Botrychium biforme)

Hymenophyllales - Filmy Ferns (Hymenophyllaceae):  Bristle Ferns (Trichomanes colensoi, T. elongatum, T. endlicherianum, T. strictum and T. venosum); Filmy Ferns (Hymenophyllum armstrongii, H. bivalve, H. demissum, H. dilatatum, H. ferrugineum, H. flabellatum, H. flexuosum, H. multifidum, H. pulcherrimum, H. rarum, H. revolutum, H. sanguinolentum and H. scabrum)

Conifers:

Pinales - Podocarpaceae: Kahika (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides); Plum Pine (Podocarpus hallii); New Zealand Red Pine (Dacrydium cupressinum); Prumnopitys ferruginea and P. taxifolia; Totara (Podocarpus totara)

Cupressales - Cupressaceae:  New Zealand Cedar (Libocedrus bidwillii)

Dicotyledons:

Laurales - Lauraceae: Tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa)

- Atherospermataceae: Laurelia novae-zelandiae

- Monimiaceae: Hedycarya arborea

Canellales - Winteraceae: Lowland Pepper Tree (Pseudowintera axillaris); Mountain Pepper Tree (Pseudowintera colorata)

Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae: Buttercup (Ranunculus hirtus); Sweet Autumn Virginsbower (Clematis terniflora)

Brassicales - Crucifers (Brassicaceae): Roadside Bittercress (Cardamine debilis)

Caryophyllales - Caryophyllaceae: Starwort (Stellaria parviflora)

- Polygonaceae: Maidenhair Vine (Muehlenbeckia australis)

Gunnerales - Gunneraceae: Gunnera monoica

Santalales - Santalaceae: Sandalwood (Mida salicifolia)

Malvales - Malvaceae: Hoheria glabrata

- Tiliaceae: Entelea arborescens

- Thymelaeaceae:  Kelleria dieffenbachii

Rosales - Rosaceae: Biddi-biddi (Acaena novae-zelandiae) and Acaena (Acaena anserinifolia); Blackberries (Rubus australis and R. cissoides)

Oxalidales - Oxalidaceae:  Woodsorrel (Oxalis lactea)

- Cunoniaceae: Kamahi (Weinmannia racemosa)

- Elaeocarpaceae: Aristotelia serrata; Elaeocarpus dentatus

Saxifragales - Seaberries (Haloragidaceae): Erect Seaberry (Haloragis erecta); Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum robustum)

Proteales - Proteaceae:  Knightia excelsa

Malpighiales - Violaceae: Narrow-leaved Mahoe (Melicytus lanceolatus) and Mahoes (Melicytus drucei - endemic species and M. ramiflorus); Violet (Viola filicaulis)

- Passionflowers (Passifloraceae): Passionflower (Passiflora tetrandra)

Sapindales - Sapindaceae: Alectryon excelsus

- Rutaceae: Wharangi (Melicope ternata)

- Meliaceae: Dysoxylum spectabile

Myrtales - Myrtaceae: Lehuas (Metrosideros diffusa, M. fulgens and M. perforata); Lophomyrtus bullata; Northern Rata (Metrosideros robusta); Syzygium (Syzygium maire); Broom Teatree (Leptospermum scoparium)

- Onagraceae: Fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata); Willowherbs (Epilobium alsinoides, E. brunnescens, E. nerteroides a E. rotundifolium)

Apiales - Apiaceae: Centella uniflora

- Araliaceae: Five-finger (Pseudopanax arboreus); Mountain Five-finger (Pseudopanax colensoi); Hydrocotyles (Hydrocotyle dissecta, H. elongata and H. heteromeria); Lancewood (Pseudopanax crassifolius); Musky Marshpennywort (Hydrocotyle moschata); Pate (Schefflera digitata); Pseudopanax anomalus; Raukawa (Pseudopanax edgerleyi)

- Griseliniaceae: Puka (Griselinia littoralis and G. lucida)

- Cheesewoods (Pittosporaceae):  Tarata (Pittosporum cornifolium, P. eugenioides and P. kirkii)

Ericales - Ericaceae:  Snowberries (Gaultheria antipoda and G. depressa)

- Epacridaceae: Cyathodes empetrifolia; Dracophyllum latifolium and D. longifolium; Mingimingi (Leucopogon fasciculatus)

- Colicwoods (Myrsinaceae):  Mapou (Myrsine australis); Toro (Myrsine salicina)

Escalloniales - Escalloniaceae: Carpodetus serratus; Quintinia serrata

Gentianales - Rubiaceae:  Mirrorplants (Coprosma areolata, C. colensoi, C. depressa, C. grandifolia, C. lucida, C. pseudocuneata, C. robusta and C. tenuifolia); Nertera depressa

- Apocynaceae: Parsonsia capsularis and P. heterophylla

- Geniostomaceae: Hangehange (Geniostoma ligustrifolium)

Lamiales - Verbenaceae: Puriri (Vitex lucens)

- Gesneriaceae: Rhabdothamnus solandri

- Scrophulariaceae: Eyebright (Euphrasia cuneata); Hebe corriganii, H. odorata, H. stricta and H. tetragona; Jovellana repens; Ourisia macrophylla; Parahebe catarractae

- Oleaceae: Black Maire (Nestegis cunninghamii); White Maire (Nestegis lanceolata)

- Myoporaceae: Ngaio (Myoporum laetum)

Solanales - Solanaceae: New Zealand Nightshade (Solanum aviculare)

- Convolvulaceae: Ralse Bindweed (Calystegia tuguriorum); Silverleaf Ponysfoot (Dichondra sericea)

Cucurbitales - Coriariaceae: Tutu (Coriaria arborea and C. pteridoides)

- Corynocarpaceae: Karaka Nut (Corynocarpus laevigatus) 

Asterales - Asteraceae: Anaphalioides alpina and A. bellidioides; Brachyglottis elaeagnifolia and B. rotundifolia; Celmisia coriacea and C. major; Cudweeds (Gnaphalium audax, G. delicatum, G. gymnocephalum, G. keriense and G. limosum); Heketara (Olearia arborescens and O. rani); Keysseria pumila; Ragworts (Senecio elaeagnifolius, S. kirkii and S. minimus); Strawflower (Helichrysum alpinum); Mountain Tauhinu (Cassinia vauvilliersii); Waterbuttons (Cotula squalida)

- Campanulaceae:  Pratia angulata; Wahlenbergia gracilis

- Alseuosmiaceae: Rangiora (Alseuosmia macrophylla)

Piperales - Piperaceae: Kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum)

Monocotyledons:

Alismatales - Duckweeds (Lemnaceae): Common Duckweed (Lemna minor)

Pandanales - Pandanaceae: Kiekie (Freycinetia baueriana)

Liliales - Luzuriagaceae: Luzuriaga parviflora

Arecales - Arecaceae: Rhopalostylis sapida

Dioscoreales - Ripogonaceae: Supplejack (Ripogonum scandens)

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Blue-Grasses (Poa anceps and P. colensoi); Pampas-Grass (Cortaderia fulvida); Clovenfoot Plume-Grass (Dichelachne crinita); Bush Rice-Grasses (Microlaena avenacea and M. stipoides); Wallaby-Grasses (Rytidosperma clavatum and R. gracile)

- Rushes (Juncaceae): Rushes (Juncus gregiflorus, J. pallidus and J. sarophorus); Woodrush (Luzula picta)

- Cyperaceae: Bogrush (Schoenus maschalinus); Bullrush (Scirpus reticularis); Flatsedge (Cyperus ustulatus); Hawai'i Birdcatching Sedge (Uncinia uncinata) and Birdcatching Sedges (Uncinia banksii, U. gracilenta and U. zotovii); Sedges (Carex dissita, C. forsteri, C. geminata, C. secta, C. solandri a C. virgata); Sawsedges (Gahnia pauciflora, G. procera and G. setifolia); Acute Spikerush (Eleocharis acutangula)

- Cattails (Typhaceae): Cattail (Typha orientalis)

Asparagales - Iridaceae: Libertia grandiflora, L. ixioides and L. pulchella

- orchids (Orchidaceae): Acianthus fornicatus; Aporostylis bifolia; Bulbophyllum pygmaeum; Caladenia catenata; Chiloglottis cornuta; Corybas aconitiflorus, C. oblongus, C. orbiculatus, C. rivularis and C. trilobus; Dendrobium cunninghamii; Drymoanthus adversus; Earina autumnalis and E. mucronata; Gastrodia sesamoides; Microtis unifolia; Orthoceras strictum; Pterostylis banksii and P. montana; Thelymitra longifolia

- Antheriaceae: Arthropodium candidum 

- Asteliaceae: Collospermum hastatum and C. microspermum; Cordyline (Cordyline indivisa); Pineapplegrasses (Astelia fragrans, A. nervosa and A. solandri); Ti Ngahere (Cordyline banksii); Cabbage Tree (Cordyline australis)

- Phormiaceae: Dianella nigra; New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) and Phormium cookianum

Possible activities

Many trekking paths - short to several days, quite difficult climb up the volcano summit

Mountaineering, skiing

Note

Swift changes of the weather.

Very interesting region from geological point of view

Pictures - source wikipedia