Puriri Notable tree NT38
Puriri / Vitex lucens
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Excerpt from “The Notable Trees of New Plymouth”, 2002
Author: Cory Smith, Editor: George Fuller
Based on a review of S.W. (Bob) Burstall’s Mensuration Report # 19, 1973.
Notable Tree No NT 38
“Puriri" p77
NATIVE TREE: 38
SPECIES:
Vitex lucens.
COMMON NAME(S):
Puriri.
B.B CATEGORY:
Native Notable Tree - Local Interest.
ORIGINAL READINGS
LOCATION:
Beside the access road from the racecourse to the Bowl of Brooklands.
DATE MEASURED:
1973
HEIGHT:
59 ft (18 m), with a 5 ft (1.5 m) trunk.
CANOPY SPREAD:
70 ft (21.4 m)
DBH:
74 in (1.88 m)
BURSTALL'S NOTES: (Another of the large trees to be seen along this busy summer thoroughfare,
between the large historic puriri and the large karaka, has a girth at 2 ft (61 cm) of
22 ft (6.7 m, diameter = 2.134 m), above which a lesser trunk emerges of 70 in,
(1.778 m) at b.h x 74 ft x 50 ft, (22.6 m x 15.3 m). Somewhat comparable to the
historic puriri but not so upright in habit). In this complex of gullies and walks there
are many fine trees of this species over 45 in (1.143 m) in diameter.
CURRENT READINGS
UPDATED LOCATION: Brooklands Park, 55 m from the gate access for vehicles from the Racecourse to the
Bowl of Brooklands. Located on the racecourse (upper-side) of the roadway.
DATE MEASURED:
17th October 2001.
HEIGHT:
18.3 m approximately
CANOPY SPREAD:
21 m
DBH:
2.165
m
REMARKS: Large
specimen
(Fig. 64) that overhangs the roadway. Divides into 3 main limbs at
approximately 2 m having lost a lower limb.
A lower limb on the racecourse side has failed and lies at the base of the tree. Bees
have taken advantage of the fractures and nested in the cavities.
Difficult to measure height because of the steep gradient and surrounding
vegetation.
(~Fuller, 1982: Dbh = 1.962 m).
