Pennantia corymbosa, kaikomako or firelighter is endemic, and is found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands . It is uncommon north of Auckland and on Stewart Island. It is a handsome flowering, and foliage tree that can grow 4.6m to 10.6m tall, and is found  in lowland and hilly forest from sea-level to 600m asl. It prefers gowing in a moist soil in an open situation. Its juvenile stage, which can last up to 20 years, is a tangled mass of wiry, zig-zagging branches bearing small leaves with 3-4 large lobes at the tip. As an adult it will form a round-headed tree bearing much larger leaves that still have small lobes at the tip (though these are less obvious). It will produce clusters of waxy white, fragrant flowers from November to February.
Kaikomako was seen in Maori myth as the tree  to which fire, or the seeds of fire fled when a contest raged between the demi-god Maui and Mahuika, the goddess of fire.  Because of this it is regarded as the best wood for firesticks from which they obtain fire by friction. Usually by rubbing sticks of kaikomako, together with a soft wooded tree like mahoe.