Knightia excelsa. Rewarewa.
Māori names
Common names
Food
Honey obtained in former times from blossom. (Best 1942)
Domestic
Ornamentation, picture frames, fence pales (Colenso 1868a)
Among museum artefacts he tested Wallace 1989 found a bowl and a maul made from rewarewa
Construction
Said to be used in Whanganui district for stockades because it does not burn readily. Best says probably palisades, not posts, because the timber decays readily (Best 1927).
Medicinal
Inner part of the bark styptic, bandaged onto wound. "I may state that I have myself seen several wounds healed under the above treatment in a surprisingly short space of time" (O'Carroll 1884).
The bark contains beta-sitosterol, a major component of an American proprietary drug used to lower blood cholesterol levels (Brooker, Cambie and Cooper 1987).
Chemistry
Chemical compounds listed in Cambie 1976, with references.
Traditions
Waiapu Māori told Best that in former times an infant"s pito was sometimes placed on a rewarewa pod, a charm repeated over it, and placed on the surface of the water. If capsized, indicated evil ; if not, then good fortune (Best 1929)
