Creatures and Features: Werewere Kōkako

This extraordinary blue mushroom’s official name is the New Zealand Blue Pinkgill. Its scientific name is Entoloma hochstetteri, and its Māori name, Werewere Kōkako is translated as the blue wattle of the Kōkako. The Ngāi Tūhoe describe that the Kōkako got its blue wattles from it rubbing its cheek against the mushroom.

Werewere Kōkako was one of six native fungi featured in a set of NZ fungal stamps issued in 2002. It is also found on our $50 note next to the kōkako. New Zealand has the distinction of being the only currency in the world to feature a mushroom. The most recent banknote re-design by the Reserve Bank maintained our native biodiversity theme. The Werewere Kōkako has moved from the lower right corner of the note to centre stage - reflecting the increasing recognition of how significant our biodiversity is to our identity and economy.

Werewere Kōkako is common in forests throughout New Zealand, where it grows on soil among litter in broadleaf/podocarp forest. It fruits in January to July.