Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/687

Libocedrus.]

2. L. Bidwillii, ''Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 257.—Very similar to L. Doniana,'' but usually smaller, seldom more than 50 ft. high, with a trunk 1½–3 ft. diam., in subalpine or cool peaty localities often reduced to a fastigiate bush or small tree 10–20 ft. high. Branchlets of young trees closely resembling those of L. Doniana, but rather narrower; of mature trees tetragonous, $1⁄15$–$1⁄12$ in. diam., densely clothed with almost uniform triangular acute closely appressed leaves. Female cones like those of L. Doniana, but smaller, ¼–⅓ in. long.—Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 83.

Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate or opposite, scattered or imbricate or distichous, very diverse in size and shape. Flowers diœcious or rarely monœcious; males solitary or in fascicles of 2–5, or laxly spicate along an elongated rhachis, usually stipitate, the stipes furnished with imbricate bracts. Staminal column elongate, cylindric; anthers sessile, densely spirally crowded; cells 2, parallel, dehiscing longitudinally; connective usually prolonged into a short claw. Female flowers solitary or occasionally geminate, very rarely spicate; bracts or scales few, adnate with the rhachis into a swollen fleshy or succulent peduncle or "receptacle"; ovuliferous scale springing from the receptacle, ovoid, fleshy, bearing a single reversed ovule. Seeds globose or ovoid, seated on the enlarged receptacle, drupaceous or nut-like. Cotyledons 2.