258; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 4, 5; Pilger, Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 65. P. Matai, Lamb, ex Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 741. Dacrydium taxifolium, Banks and Soland. ex Lamb. Pin. ed. ii. 119. D. Mai, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 329. Prumnopitys spicata, Kent in Veitch Man. Conif. ed. ii. 157.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Not uncommon in forests from the North Cape southwards. Sea-level to 2000 ft. Matai; Mai; Black-pine.
A very distinct species, at once recognised by the spicate flowers and globose fruit. Wood brownish, hard, heavy, close-grained, of great strength and durability. This and the preceding differ from the remaining New Zealand species in wanting the succulent receptacle to the fruit.
7. P. dacrydioides, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 358, t. 39.—A lofty tree 80–100 ft. or 120 ft. high, in swampy locallties often growing gregariously and forming dense forests; trunk 2–5 ft. diam. Leaves of two forms: those of young trees distichous, ⅙–¼ in. long, linear, falcate, upturned and acuminate at the tip, decurrent at the base, flat, nerveless; of mature trees inserted all round the branch and appressed to it, imbricated, 112–18 in. long, subulate-lanceolate, acuminate, keeled. Flowers diœcious. Males solitary, terminal, ⅙–¼ in. long; anthers crowded; connective ovate, acute. Female flowers minute, solitary, terminating the branchlets; peduncle and bracts swollen. Fruit a black ovoid nut about ⅙ in. long, seated on the greatly enlarged bright-red succulent peduncle.—Raoul, Choix, 41; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 233; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 258; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 31, 32; Pilger, Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 57. P. thuyoides, R. Br. in Benn. Pl. Jav. Bar. 41. Dacrydium excelsum, D. Don. in Lamb. Pin. ed. ii. App. D. ferrugineum, Van Houtte ex Gord. Pin. 590. D. thuyoides, Banks and Sol. ex Carr. Conif. 479.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: In lowland forests from the North Cape southwards, abundant. Sea-level to 2000 ft. Kahikatea; Kahika; White-pine.
One of the tallest trees in the colony, said to occasionally attain the height of 150 ft. The wood is white or pale-yellow, tough and compact, straight-grained, and easily worked, but unfortunately not durable when in contact with the ground or where regularly exposed to damp. It is very suitable for inside work of all kinds, but is liable to the attacks of a small boring beetle.
4. DACRYDIUM, Soland.
Trees or shrubs. Leaves usually dimorphic; of old trees small and scale-like, closely imbricate; of young trees or of the lower branches of old ones longer and narrower, spreading, linear or linearsubulate. Flowers diœcious or more rarely monœcious. Males solitary at the tips of the branchlets and sessile amongst the uppermost leaves. Staminal column oblong or cylindrical; anthers sessile, spirally imbricate; cells 2, globose, contiguous, deflexed; connective prolonged into a terminal claw or spur. Female flowers at or
