wheki and other native tree ferns over hang the walking track

Tree Ferns are such a distinctive feature of the New Zealand forest floor that one, the silver fern (Cyathea dealbata) has become a national symbol. The tree fern most often seen at Mount Bruce is the wheki, which is able to colonise quite large areas by means of underground runners. The rough, fibrous trunk of this tree fern allows ample opportunity for epipyhtic plants to grow and nearly every wheki carries its share of "hangers on" including the kamahi which eventually forms a large tree and plays an important role in forest succession and regeneration. Wheki is found throughout New Zealand.