Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

kōhuruhuru, mātā, paranui, pāwhati, paitu, māpara, whatiwhati, papawai

Varieties or varying qualities of fernroot

Ngā-Maihi living in pā at Puketapu (Te Teko), near Rangitaiki River, sent a party to obtain fernroot at "Titinaroa, where grew in abundance the mātā (maataa) variety of that root, much used as food in former times" (Best 1902: 213)

Fernroot selections mentioned by Whatahoro 1913 and in Te Rangi Hiroa 1949: 

aruhe-pāpāwai (with flattish roots)

aruhe-whatiwhati or pāwhati (brittle root with only 2 strings in it)

aruhe-paranui (with whitish, smooth, thin skin)

Māpara. Fernroot of a brownish colour inside (Ngāti-Porou). Best 1942

Paranui - contains many fibres (Ngāti-Porou) Best 1942. Williams 1971 says paranui is term applied to fernroot having many coarse fibres

Paitu - contains coarse fibres (Best 1942:71)

Kōhuruhuru - fernroot hairy on the top and smooth below (Williams 1971)