Rata
/ˈrɑː.tə/noun
A New Zealand tree or shrub of the myrtle family, especially a Metrosideros species.
Did you know?Some rātā species begin life as epiphytes high in another tree, eventually sending roots downward until they become towering forest trees.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European New Zealand
Māori
rātā
“A name for several native trees of the Metrosideros genus”
18th–19th Century
Māori
rātā
“The established Māori botanical name used for native flowering trees”
19th Century
English
rata
“A New Zealand tree; an English borrowing from Māori”
19th–20th Century
New Zealand English
rata
“Common English name for species including northern and southern rātā”
Modern English
English
rata
“A New Zealand tree or shrub of the myrtle family”