PHORMIUM TENAX, AN UNUSUAL NURSE PLANT

In this paper we document the role of Phormium tenax as a nurse plant in unimproved pasture. We show that for our study area the regeneration of woody species was limited solely to P. tenax clumps with 22 native and one introduced regenerating woody species present. The number of woody species and of individual woody plants regenerating within P. tenax is not correlated with distance from the edge of the remnant forest but is significantly correlated with P. tenax clump area. P. tenax is acting as a nurse plant facilitating the succession from pasture to forest and we suggest that this species has considerable potential for use in restoration plantings.