Cyathea medullaris,mamaku, or black tree fern is found from the Three Kings Islands south to Stewart and the main Chatham Islands. It is uncommon in the drier eastern portion of the South Island. It is a large tree fern with black-stalked leaves to 5m long, sometimes reaching 20 metres in height, they have oval-shaped frond scars on the trunk, where it grows in damp gullies throughout New Zealand. The white pith of the trunk and the koru (new shoots) are edible, although slimy when first cut. Maori stripped the trunk’s outer layers so the slime could dry or drain away. The plant was then cut down and cooked whole. Alternatively, koru (new shoots) were hung to dry. Baking was the preferred way to cook mamaku, to separate the stringy fibres from the flesh. Although the taste is bland, the nutritional value is high.