Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

tawaka

Poplar mushroom.

Gathered in summer and steamed. Sometimes prepared by the huahua or kohua process (stone-boiling). Grow to a great size. Best states that he saw specimens 12 inches in diameter growing on half-decayed tawa stumps (Best 1907, 1942).

"Ka mumura katoa te wai i tunua ai taua tawaka" - the water in which the tawaka was cooked becomes red (or perhaps brown) (Best 1902)

Best mentions that if a person who has eaten tawaka passes through a gourd plot, all the gourds will decay on the runners. Similarly, if that person were to go netting the kokopu Galaxias fasciatus, he wouldn"t catch any ( Best 1902).

A species of fungus, grows in summer on dead trees and logs of tawa, houhi and māhoe (Best 1907, 1942)