Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

aruhe kaitā, aruhe mokopuna; aruhe para, manehu (Tūhoe); paka (Tūhoe, Ngati Porou); moheke, motuhanga, renga, paranui, tukurenga; parahou, puahou (Taranaki informant); huirau, kōwhiti, māhunga (Colenso); kirea, kōauau, kōtai, onetea, taipu (John White) 

All so named are superior kinds of fernroot.

"The prized varieties are thick roots, containing very few of the black fibres (kaka), and which are brittle when broken, exposing a fine white interior" ( Best 1902).

From Best 1942 unless otherwise stated :

kaita, aruhe kaita - any superior kind having few hard fibres.

manehu, moheke- a thick, well-grown root.

aruhe mokopuna - first class fernroot

paka - a good quality root

renga - good, mealy kinds so termed.

tukurenga - a choice kind

para, aruhe para - a superior kind

kopuwai, motuhanga, parahou, manehu (Tūhoe) - superior kinds

kirea, onetea = taipu - superior kinds

Recorded by William Colenso 1880:

Best kinds in the north known by general names of māhunga = mealy, and motuhanga = brittle, snapping."The motuhanga was really a splendid sort. I have seen it, a fine-looking black-skinned smooth root, eight to ten lines in diameter, with scarcely any woody fibres, and these were small, like a very fine rush, lustrous, hollow and white. It would snap readily, like good biscuit, before being prepared or beaten."

On the East Coast, North Island, the best kinds were called kaitā = gentlemen's food and renga = mealy.

koauau = kotai - roots of good quality. Fernroot got from soft, loose, red soils. Williams 1971 gives kotai as the Waikato term for kotae, alluvial soils

Kōwhiti - best selected; for the chiefs

Paka - dried, for general feasts

Huirau - a hundred together in company; for warriors. This was stored up in hill forts for sieges and fighting times.