Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/688

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1. P. Totara, ''D. Don. in Lamb. Pin.'' ed. ii. (1832) 189.—A lofty forest-tree 40–80 ft. or even 100 ft. high; trunk 2–6 ft. diam.; bark thick, furrowed, stringy and papery, capable of removal in large sheets. Leaves dull brownish-green, spreading on all sides or obscurely distichous, ½–1 in. long, linear, straight or slightly falcate, acute, pungent, rigid and coriaceous, midrib obscure. Flowers diœcious. Males ½–¾ in. long, stout, obtuse, axillary, solitary or 2–3 together at the top of a very short stout peduncle or almost sessile; each flower with 4 bracts at the base. Anthers numerous, crowded; connective toothed at the tip. Female flowers axillary, solitary or geminate at the top of a short swollen peduncle. Fruit ovoid-oblong, rounded at the tip; peduncle usually much enlarged, red, succulent; but occasionally dry and shrivelled.—''A. Cunn. Precur. n. 328; Raoul, Choix, 41; Hook. in Lond. Journ. Bot.'' i. 572. t. 19; ''Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 233; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 258; Kirk, Forest Fl.'' t. 115. Pilger, Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 84. P. Bidwillii, ''Hoibrenk ex Endl. Conif.'' 213. P. Cunninghamii, Col. Visit to Ruahine Range, 58.

2. P. Hallii, T. Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 9, 9.—Very closely allied to P. Totara, and perhaps a mere variety, but smaller, 25–60 ft. high; trunk rarely exceeding 3ft. diam.; bark thin, papery;