Photo 22 of 82, Botanic Gardens

One of Norfolk's rare endemic species, the Meryta has the added disadvantage of being dioecious, which means it has separate male and female plants. When numbers become low this can be a critical factor, if trees of both sexes are not growing close enough for the female flowers to be pollinated by the male. This woody plant grows with a single stem or very few branches, up to 3 or 4m and bears its leaves in a clump at the end. It is endemic to Norfolk Island, as is its relative Meryta angustifolia, which has much narrower leaves. Convicts are recorded as having used the large leaves of Meryta to wrap up dough to bake in the ashes.

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Broad-Leafed Meryta (Meryta latifolia) One of Norfolk's rare endemic species, the Meryta has the added disadvantage of being dioecious, which means it has separate male and female plants. When numbers become low this can be a critical factor, if trees of both sexes are not growing close enough for the female flowers to be pollinated by the male. This woody plant grows with a single stem or very few branches, up to 3 or 4m and bears its leaves in a clump at the end. It is endemic to Norfolk Island, as is its relative Meryta angustifolia, which has much narrower leaves. Convicts are recorded as having used the large leaves of Meryta to wrap up dough to bake in the ashes.
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