Kawakawa (tree)
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| Macropiper excelsum (G.Forst.) Miq. |
Kawakawa, Macropiper excelsum, is a small tree which is endemic to New Zealand.
It is found throughout the North Island, and as far south as Okarito on the West Coast and Banks Peninsula on the east coast of the South Island.
The name kawakawa in Māori refers to the bitter taste of the leaves, from kawa bitter. It has also been surmised that when Māori first came to New Zealand, they recognised that the plant was a close relative of Piper methysticum, the plant from which kava is made in the tropical Pacific. Kawakawa leaves were used medicinally by Māori - chewed or brewed into a tonic.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Landcare Research -plant database.
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