obtuse, membranous; on mature plants chiefly developed at the base of the young rhachises and falling away very early. Flowers diœcious or monœcious. Males very numerous, in fascicles of 10–20 at the tips of the branches, ¾–1 in. long, on stout peduncles of equal length. Female flowers forming globose heads terminating short stout distichous peduncles (modified cladodes) springing from the rhachis below the cladodes; fully ripe heads ½ in. long. Nuts 8–20, compressed, about ⅛ in. long, half exserted beyond the thickened scales; aril cupular.—Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. i. (1868) 149; Trans. N.Z. Inst. (1878) 380; Forest Fl. t. 98, 99; Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 95.
North Island: Between Whangape and Hokianga, Kirk! between Hokianga and the Northern Wairoa, Petrie! Puhipuhi Forest, R. Mair! Great Barrier Island, Omaha, Kirk! Waitakarei Ranges, T.F.C.; from Cape Colville to the Thames goldfields and Te Aroha, Kirk! Adams! T.F.C. Wairoa South, Kirk! near Titiraupenga, T.F.C. Sea-level to 2000ft. Toatoa.
A very distinct species, quite the most handsome of the New Zealand Taxads, and easily recognised by the robust branches, very large cladodes, and large female flowers. Carrière's description, founded on garden specimens of doubtful origin cultivated in France, hardly agrees with wild specimens, but probably refers to the same species.
3. P. alpinus, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 235, t. 53.—A shrub or small tree, usually from 8 ft. to 25 ft. high, but in exposed alpine localities often reduced to a bush of 3–6 ft.; branches numerous, short, stout, spreading; trunk short, 6–14 in. diam. Cladodes simple, crowded, spreading, ½–1½ in. long, variable in shape, linear-oblong to oblong-rhomboid, obtuse or acute, very coriaceous, glaucous, lobed or pinnatifid, lobes usually obtuse. True leaves on seedling plants linear, ¼–½ in. long. Flowers monœcious. Males in fascicles of 2–5 at the tips of the branchlets, ¼–⅓ in. long; peduncles short, sometimes almost wanting. Females forming globose heads towards the base of the cladodes or on the margins of modified ones. Fully ripe heads about ¼ in. diam.; scales fleshy, bright-red. Nuts small, compressed, exserted beyond the scales; aril cupular, margin irregularly lobulate.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 260; Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 382; Forest Fl. t. 100; Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 98. P. trichomanoides var. alpinus, Parl. in D.C. Prodr. xvi. 2, 498.
North and South Islands: In subalpine and mountain forests from Cape Colville and Te Aroha to Foveaux Strait, abundant. Usually from 1500 ft. to 5000 ft., but descends to sea-level in Westland and in the south of Otago. Mountain Toatoa.
Very closely allied to the Tasmanian P. rhomboidalis, L. C. Rich. (P. aspleniifolius, Hook, f.), principally differing in the position of the female flowers. It is a very important constituent of the subalpine forests of the South Island, particularly at high altitudes.
