Ngā Roimata ō Tōhe, Pimelea eremitica, is a plant of cultural significance to Te Roroa hapū. Their rohe encompasses Maunganui Bluff, which is the only known remaining location where this small herb still grows in the wild where it is threatened by grazing by feral goats.
A new collaboration between Te Roroa, AMSRC, and the Auckland Botanic Gardens will investigate conservation genomics of this nationally critical plant. Funded by Genomics Aotearoa, this kaupapa will assess genomic diversity of the remaining plants in the wild and determine whether there has been any hybridisation between ngā Roimata ō Tōhe and other Pimelea species. Cuttings of wild plants will be propagated and grown at the Auckland Botanic Gardens, and an informed management plan will be developed for the species.