Me pēwhea tātou e whakarōpū i ngā rauropi koiora?
How should we classify biological organisms?
He pūnaha whakarōpū ❘ Taxonomic classification
Kingdom | Mātāmuatanga
Phylum | Pori
Class | Karangatanga
Order | Pūtoi
Family | Whānau
Genus | Puninga
Species | Momo
He pūnaha whakarōpū – te nīkau hei tauira:
Mātāmuatanga | Planta (ngā tupu) |
Pori | Spermatophyta (he tupu whai kākano) |
Karangatanga | Magnoliopsida (he tupu whaipua) |
Pūtoi | Arecales (he momo ‘palm tree’) |
Whānau | Palmae (he momo ‘palm tree’) |
Puninga | Rhopalostylis (he karapu te āhua o te taihema uwha) |
Momo | sapida (he reka ki te tangata – e pā ana ki te rito) |
Taxonomic classification – nīkau as an example:
Kingdom | Planta (plants) |
Phylum | Spermatophyta (seed plants) |
Class | Magnoliopsida (flowering plants) |
Order | Arecales (palm trees) |
Family | Palmae (palm trees) |
Genus | Rhopalostylis (club-shaped style) |
Species | sapida (tasty – referring to the terminal shoot) |
He maha ngā āhuatanga e hāngai ana ki te whakarōputanga o ngā rākau me ngā tupu.
Many characteristics are used to classify trees and other plants.
Āe rānei e whai kākano ana te rākau, kāo rānei?
Āe – he rākau whai kākano.
Kāo – he rākau aruhe.
Does the plant/tree produce seeds or not?
Yes – seed-producing plants/trees.
No – tree ferns.
Āe rānei e whaipua ana te rākau, kāo rānei?
Āe – he rākau whaipua.
Kāo – he rākau koroī.
Does the tree produce flowers or not?
Yes – flowering plants.
No – conifers.
He maha ngā momo rākau whaipua kei roto i ngō tātou ngahere.
There are many species of flower-producing plants and trees in our forests.
He āhuatanga anō e whakarōpu ai i ngā tupu
Ahakoa te maha o ngā āhuatanga kia āhei ai te tangata ki te tautuhi i ngā tupu me te tini o ngā momo rākau kei ō tātou ngahere, mā te whakawhanaungatanga tātou katoa ērā āhuatanga o te te tautuhi rākau e tohunga.
Ka mutu, ka taea rānei pea e tātou ētehi tikanga whakarōpu, ētahi tikanga tautuhi rākau hoki e pai ai ki a tātou, ki ngō tātou hoa, ā, ki ngō tātou whānau anō hoki.
Despite the many characteristics used to identify plants and the numerous tree species in our forests, with familiarity, we can all master tree identification.
What’s more, we might even develop methods of classification and tree identification that are suitable for us, our peers and our families.
Download
This resource is available as a te reo Māori only Word document file for kura to adapt as required.
He kōrero kōpūtahi ❘ Related content
- Ngā rākau ❘ Trees
- He aha hoki tērā rākau? ❘ Tree leaves
- Te haenga me te ruinga o te kākano ❘ Pollination and seed dispersal
- Ngā kākano ❘ Seeds
- Ngā rau o te rākau ❘ Tree leaves
Mō te tūpono he ngākau whakapuke koe ki ēnei kaupapa:
You may also be interested in these:
Activities
- Native plant leaves – DIY classification system
- DIY fern classification
- Collecting kōwhai seeds | Kohikohia ngā kākano kōwhai
- Planting kōwhai seeds | Whakatōngia kākano kōwhai
- Observing kōwhai | Āta titiro kōwhai
Videos
- Whakapapa and biodiversity – similarities between biodiversity and whakapapa from a Māori perspective.
- Plants and whakapapa – eco-sourcing from a Māori perspective.
- Ruru, restoration and whakapapa – why we need to consider the function of exotic trees during repo restoration.
Webinar
Watch our webinar He rauemi reo Māori mō ngā rākau – Te reo Māori plant resources for an overview of the bilingual resources created with Dr Norm Mason.
Ngā hono ❘ Useful links
- Flora Finder – Department of Botany, University of Otago, Te Tari Huaota te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo
- Experiencing native trees in your green space – Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
He whakamihi
Tēnei te mihi nui ki a Mokoro Gillett (Tumuaki o Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha) rāua ko Norman Mason (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research). Tēnā kōrua.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Mokoro Gillett (Principal of Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha) and Norman Mason (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research).