2102

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM

PART III

harder than that of any of the New Zealand Conifer®, and is much valuedeither for planks or spars. In colour it is an intermixture of white andred ; and no green resin exudes from it. The fruit, which is a small redberry, containing a black seed, is eaten by the natives. The tree is notabundant, having its habitat only in particular districts. Dacrydiumcupressinum was introduced into England in 1825, and there are nowplants in several collections. From its nativecountry, we think it not un-likely to prove hardy ; and, without doubt, it will stand our winters againsta wall, with very little protection. It is propagated by cuttings, like heaths.

2). t ax/folium Soland., Lam. Pin., ed. 2., No. 69., is mentioned in Cap.tain Cook’s First Voyage as growing in swamps, and forming a very talltree, with a leaf not unlike a yew, and berries in small bunches. CaptainCook’s carpenter thought it fit for masts for vessels of any size. It hasnot yet been introduced.

D. exc4lsum Don, Lam. Pin., ed- 2., the kahikatea, or swamp pine,was observed by the late Mr. Richard Cunningham on the HokiangaRiver, in January, 1834, “ laden with the climbing freycinetia, whoserooting rope-like stem, with here and there a tuft of leaves, wound itselfspirally to the summits of those straight and lofty trees.” {Comp, to But .

Mag., ii. p. 217.) Mr. George Bennett says that this species attains a heightof from 120 ft. to 130 ft., with a trunk from 12 ft. to 18 ft. in diameter, beingthe loftiest timber tree in New Zealand. The wood is soft, and used formaking the common canoes; the great length of the trunk enablingthem to be constructed of a large size for carrying provisions.

D. ? plumbsum D. Don, the kawaka of the New Zealanders, is a treeattaining the height of 60 ft. or 70 ft., and regularly furnished withbranches, which, Mr. Bennett informs us, is the meaning ,of the namegiven to it by the natives. The timber is red, and of an excellent qualityfor either plank or spar.

D. elh.tu.rn Wall, Juniperus elkta JRoxb., is a lofty evergreen tree, a native of Pulo-Penang. Intro-duced in 1830. There are plants at Messrs. Loddiges’s, and a very handsome one in Knight’s ExoticNursery, King’s Road, Chelsea.

Phyllbcladis Rich. Mem. Conif., p. 129.; Podoc&rpussp .Labill. This is a monoecious genus, with small obscuremale and female flowers in separate catkins. The fruitresembles that of Tfixus. Only one species is known.

P. rhomboidhlis Rich. M£m. Conif., p. 23. t. 3. f. 2. andour Jigs. 2002,2003. j Podocarpus asplenifblius Labill. Spc-cim. Nov. Holi, 2. p. 71. t. 221. A branchy tree, accordingto Labillardi&re, from 40 ft. to 50 ft. in height. Thebranches are spreading; the leaves angular, with foliaceouswing-like appendages at their base, and varying so muchin the manner in which they are cut, as occasionally toappear pinnatifid. At their apex, there are sometimeslittle leafy appendages, which at length become leaves.

The flowers are monoecious; the male and female ondifferent branches, and terminal. The leaves appear to becompressed branches, in manner of those of Xylophylla.

It is a native of Cape Van Diemen ; and only dried speci-mens have hitherto been introduced.

P. trichomanoldes R.^Br., and D. Don in Lamb. Pin., ed.

2., vol. ii., the tanakaa of the natives, is described by Mr.

G. Bennett, as having pinnate frondose leaves, and at-taining the height of from 60 ft. to 70 ft., with a trunkfrom 14 ft. to 16ft. in circumference. The timber is hard, and so heavy that it sinks in water. Thebark is used by the natives for dyeing the New Zealand flax of a red or black colour; the black New

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Zealand mats being dyed by simply immersing them in a decoction of the bark of this tree. Mr.Richard Cunningham describes P. trichomanoldes as of “ graceful regular growth,” and as “ fur-nishing an exceedingly valuable timber, which is much sought after for the decks of ships.” (Comp,to the Bot. Mag., ii. p. 218.)