Where found:

• Coastal paritcularly common around Mokau river mouth
  
• Sheltered gullies and along bases of cliffs
  
• Up to 250 metres
  

• A canopy tree with trunk up to 250 mm diameter, also grows as a shrub
  
• Large, bright green, soft, heartshaped leaves (150-250 mm x 150-200 mm) have serrated margins and prominent veins
  
• Branchlets, young leaves and flower sprays are covered in soft hairs
  
• Large white flowers (25 mm) are bisexual and occur in large flat clusters, the petals have a crinkled appearance
  
• The fruit is a large capsule covered with spines which are up to 25 mm long [only NZ tree to have fruit in capsules like this]
  
• Soft blistered bark
  
• Very light wood, only half as heavy as a piece of cork the same size, was used by Maori as floats and marker buoys