Charles Ethelbert Foweraker

He spent much of his free time visiting grasslands and bush in the nearby Hunter Hills, developing a collection of microscope slides and field notebooks, and as a young man, he corresponded with the naturalists G. M. Thomson and R. M. Laing from 1905.

[6][7] In 1911, Foweraker became a correspondent of the eminent botanist Leonard Cockayne, who sought information for his book Vegetation of New Zealand, then in progress.

Cockayne referred to Foweraker early in their association as "a young man of promise", and hoped to "show him that the finding of 'rare' plants is in itself a matter of no importance and that a 'new' species is of no interest unless it leads us to a new biological observation.

[11] In 1914, Foweraker accepted the position of demonstrator in biology at Canterbury College, being responsible for a good deal of undergraduate laboratory work, lecturing on botany, and conducting field excursions with students at the newly established Cass Mountain Biological Station; "his enthusiasm encouraged the first wave of research by Botany students at Cass and around Christchurch.

[17][18][19] His assistant lecturer was Frank Hutchinson, forming a "good, balanced team"- "the former [Foweraker] conscientious, dedicated, scholarly, and kindly; the latter energetic, incisive, forthright, and reportedly an inspirational teacher.

By 1925, Foweraker had also completed a report on the prospect of using indigenous forests as timber supply, according to Ellis's intention to pursue sustained-yield (i.e. renewable) management, but in the event it was decided that exotic afforestation would take precedence.

The SFS's move away from ecological considerations and shift towards a forestry practice based on exotic afforestation meant that eventually only Cockayne continued to produce reports for them.

[21][22][23] Foweraker undertook research into and wrote on the subject of the vegetation of the Cass Valley, and produced government reports and articles on forestry.

Previously included within Coprosma pseudocuneata, it is "distinguished by its low spreading habit; stout, recurved lateral branches that often root in contact with soil; fleshy-coriaceous, almost succulent, dark green to bronze-green leaves; conspicuously denticulate, shortly sheathing interpetiolar stipules; bright orange fruit ... and preference for alpine habitats.