MEDICINAL: Infusion of leaves or expressed juice used for all scrofulous diseases (Taylor 1870). The related plant Gunnera perpensa has been used in Africa for psoriasis (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, in Brooker, Cambie and Cooper 1987) See also Riley 1994 for information on medic

ENVIRONMENT: ''The berries... are eaten by the kōkō bird, which is said to get very fat on such food''

MEDICINAL: Jelly used in cough mixtures. During last war, New Zealand Gigartina sent to Australia to be used in toothpaste (PlantsDetailsMoore & Adams 1963). Chief constituent is carbohydrate which is little assimilated but provides bulk. Smooth and soothing to the membranes, so...

MEDICINAL: Leaf is astringent, used for diarrhoea and dysentery. Taken for foul breath