The kauri, is a coniferous tree found north of 38°S in the north of New Zealand's North Island. It is the largest species of tree in the country, standing up to 50m tall in the emergent layer above the forest's main canopy. Drawing by Terrie Reddish
Kauri are amongst the most ancient trees in the world and they have developed a unique niche in the forest.
This plants are also named Parrot’s Beak, Parrot’s Bill and Lobster Claw,is a plant native to New Zealand. There are two species:Clianthus puniceus and the endangeredClianthus maximus. Joseph BanksandDaniel Solandercollected specimens in 1769 at Tologa Bay during Captain James Cook’s first Pacific voyage on the Endeavour.
They have groups of red flowers which look like the beak of the Kaka, a New Zealand parrot. There is also a variety with white to creamy coloured flowers.
In 1769, English Royal Navy CaptainJames Cook, sailed to the South Pacific in search of the continent of Terra Australis. In the second part of this voyage he mapped the complete coastline of New Zealand with only minor errors. New Zealand celebrated the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1940. The one-penny stamp showed Captain Cook, his ship the Endeavour and his map.
The artist Sydney Parkinson, who travelled with captain James Cook on the Endeavour, made this portrait of ‘the head of a chief of New Zealand, with his face "tataow’d". The chief has a full facial moko (tattoo), a greenstone tiki around his neck, an ear pendant and a comb in his topknot.