D. Kirkii, F. Muell. ex Parl, in D.C. Prodr. xvi. ii. 495.—A tall tree 50–80 ft. high; trunk 2–3 ft. diam.; bark greyish-brown; lower branches spreading, upper more erect. Leaves of two forms: those of young trees and on the lower branches of old ones large, erecto-patent, 1–1½ in. long, linear, subacute, narrowed into a very short twisted petiole, flat, pale-green, coriaceous; midrib distinct; margins slightly cartilaginous. Leaves of the upper and fertile-branches small and scale-like, densely quadrifariously imbricate and appressed to the almost terete branchlets, 1/12–⅛ in. long, ovate-rhomboid, obtuse, thick and coriaceous, obtusely keeled on the back; margins thin, membranous. Flowers diœcious. Males solitary, terminal, sessile, ⅛–¼ in. long. Females at the tips of the-branchlets, forming a short oblong head ¼–½ -in. long. Nuts 1–5. page 653(usually 3–4), oblong, obtuse, compressed, striate, about ⅛ in. long.— Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 390, t. 19; Forest Fl. t. 97; Hook. f. Ic. Plant, t. 1219; Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 46.

North Island: In forests from Hokianga to the Manukau Harbour, rare and local. Whangaroa, Hector and Buchanan! between Hokianga and the Northern Wairoa, Petrie! between the Bay of Islands and Whangarei, R. Mair! T.F.C.; Great Barrier Island, Kirk! Titirangi (near Auckland), T.F.C. Sea-level to 2000 ft. Monoao.

A handsome tree, distinguished from its immediate allies by the large size,. the large leaves of the young trees and lower branches of the old ones, the almost terete fertile branchlets, and the usually numerous nuts. The transition from the long linear leaves of the young state to the small scale-like leaves of the old plant is most abrupt. Both forms can often be found on the same branch. The wood is pale brownish-red, strong and compact, and exceedingly durable.

D. biforme, Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 45.-A small tree 15–30 ft. or 40 ft. high, in alpine localities often dwarfed to a few feet; trunk short, 1–2 ft. diam.; bark dark-brown; branches, stout, clothed with the persistent and indurated leaves; mature branchlets tetragonous. Leaves of two forms; those of young plants and on the lower branches of old ones spreading, ⅓–¾ in. long, 1/15–1/12 in. broad, linear, acute, narrowed into a very short broad often twisted petiole, flat, coriaceous; midrib distinct. Leaves of old or fertile branchlets small and scale-like, densely quadrifariously imbricate and closely appressed, 1/20–1/12 in. long, triangular or rhomboid-triangular, obtuse, very thick and coriaceous, stoutly and prominently keeled on the back. Flowers diœcious. Males solitary, terminal, sessile, about ⅛ in. long; anthers 4–6; connective ovate, obtuse. Female flowers near the tips of the branchlets. Nuts 1–2 (usually solitary), oblong, obtuse, striate, compressed, about 1/10 in. long.—D. Colensoi, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 234, and Handb. N.Z. Fl. 259 (not of Rook. Ic. Plant, t. 548); Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 390; Forest Fl. t. 96. Podocarpus(?) biformis, Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 544.

North Island: Mountain districts from Tongariro and the Ruahine Mountains southwards, not common. South Island, Stewart Island: Not. uncommon in mountain forests throughout. Usually from 2000 to 4500 ft., but descends to sea-level in the south-west of Otago and on Stewart Island. Yellow—pine; Tar-wood.

This is for the most part the D. Colensoi of the flora and the Handbook; but, as shown elsewhere, not the plant originally described under that name by Sir W. J. Hooker.

D. Bidwillii, Hook. f. ex T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 388.—A closely branched erect or prostrate shrub 2–10 ft. high; lower branches spreading, sometimes reclinate and rooting; upper more erect, frequently giving a pyramidal form to the plant; trunk short, 3–9 in. diam. Leaves of two forms; those of young plants and on the lower branches of old ones spreading, crowded, page 654¼–⅓ in. long, linear, obtuse, sessile by a comparatively broad base, flat, coriaceous; midrib usually distinct, Leaves on the upper and fertile branches small and scale-like, densely quadrifariously ap-pressed, 1/25–1/12 in. triangular, obtuse, very thick and coriaceous. Flowers diœcious. Males solitary, terminal, sessile, 1/10–⅛ in. long. Female flowers near the tips of the branchlets. Nuts 1 or 2, small, striate, compressed, obtuse, about 1/12 in. long.—Forest FL t. 37; Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 46.

Var. a, erecta, Kirk.—Main branches ascending or erect, giving the plant a pyramidal or almost fastigiate outline.

Var. b, reclinata, Kirk.—Main branches prostrate or horizontal.

North Island: Summit of Moehau (Cape Colville), Adams! Ruahine Mountains, Colenso! Lake Rotoaira, Try on! Ruapehu, Rev. F. H. Spencer! South Island, Stewart Island: Not uncommon in subaipine localities throughout. Usually from 2000–4500 ft., but descending to sea-level in Stewart Island.

A near ally of D. biforme, principally differing in the smaller size and remarkably distinct habit, in the smaller linear leaves, which are sessile by a broad base, and in the more slender branchlets and smaller nut. When seen growing it is distinguished without any difficulty, but dried specimens not showing the linear leaves are easily confounded with slender states of D. biforme,

D. cupressinum, Soland. ex Forst. Pl. Escul. 80.— A tall forest-tree 60–80 ft. or even 100 ft. high, with a comparatively small round-topped head when mature, but pyramidal when young, with very long pale-green pendulous branches; trunk 2–5 ft. diam.; bark dark-brown, scaling off in large flakes. Leaves imbricating all round the branch; of young trees las, ascending, ⅙–¼ in. long, linear-subulate, acute, almost acerose, decurrent at the base; gradually passing into those of the mature trees, which are much smaller and more closely set and more appressed to the branch, 1/12–⅛ in. long trigonous, keeled at the back. Flowers diœcious. Males solitary or rarely 2 together at the tips of the branchlets, oblong; connective broadly ovate, acuminate. Female flowers solitary on the curved tips of the branchlets. Nut ovoid, barely compressed, about ⅛ in. long, seated within a cup-shaped aril; receptacle and bracts sometimes enlarged, fleshy and coloured, at other times remaining dry and unaltered.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 361; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 332; Raoul, Choix, 41; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 233; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 258; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 18–22; Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 53. Thalamia cupressina, Spreng. Syst. iii. 890.

North and South Islands, StewaRt Island: Abundant in forests throughout. Sea-level to 2500 ft. Rimu; Red-pine.

A well-known tree, the young state of which, with its graceful shape and pale-green pendent branches, is perhaps as beautiful and attractive as any tree page 655in New Zealand. The wood is deep-red, strong, hard, and heavy, but often twisted in the grain. It is largely used for building purposes of all kinds and for the manufacture of furniture, but is not nearly as durable as either kauri or-totara.

D. intermedium, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 386, t. 20.—A small tree 20–40 ft. high or more; branches spreading; trunk 1–2 ft. diam. rarely more; bark brownish-grey. Leaves of very young plants lax, spreading, ⅓–½ in. long, narrow linear-subulate, acute, curved, terete; gradually passing into the leaves of young trees, which are closer-set, squarrose or erecto-patent, ⅛–¼ in. long, broadly subulate, trigonous, acute. These again pass by imperceptible transitions into those of mature trees, which are densely quadrifariously imbricate and appressed to the branch, 1/15–1/10 in. long, ovate-triangular or rhomboid, obtuse, keeled, very thick and coriaceous. Flowers diœcious or rarely monoecious. Males usually abundantly produced, solitary, terminal, sessile, about ¼ in. long; anthers numerous; connective broadly triangular, acute. Female flowers solitary at the tips of the branchlets. Nut oblong, obtuse or apiculate, faintly striate, not compressed, ⅛–⅙ in. long, enclosed at the base in a short cup-shaped aril.—Forest Fl. t. 86; Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 51.

North Island: Between the Bay of Islands and Whangarei, R. Mair! Great Barrier Island, Kirk! from Cape Colville to the Thames goldfields and Te Aroha, Kirk! Adams! T. F. C.; from Lake Taupo to the Ruahine Mountains-and the Tararua Range, Colenso! Tryon! Mair! A. Hamilton! South Island,. StewaRt Island: Not uncommon in mountain forests, chiefly on the western, side of the island. Sea-level to 4000 ft. Mountain-pine; Yellow Silver-pine.

Wood reddish-yellow, highly resinous and very inflammable, of great-strength and durability; largely used in Westland (together with D. Colensoi) for railway-sleepers, telegraph-poles, &c.

D. Colensoi, Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 548 (not of Hook. f.).—A small tree 20–40 ft. high or more, very similar in mode of growth to D. intermedium, but rather taller and more conical, with a, straighter and cleaner trunk; branchlets more slender, often flexuous, 1/20–1/15 in. diam. Leaves of very young plants las, spreading, ¼–½ in. long, narrow linear-subulate, terete, decurrent at the base; gradually passing into the leaves of young trees, which are more closely set, ⅛–⅙ in. long, lanceolate or narrow - triangular, acute, falcate, flat, decurrent at the base, often more or less spreading, in one plane, giving the branchlets a distichous appearance. These-pass by insensible gradations into those of mature trees, which are small and scale-like, densely quadrifariously imbricate and appressed to the branch, 1/20–1/12 in. long rhomboid, obtuse or subacute, thick and coriaceous, keeled, apex often incurved. Flowers-diœcious. Males solitary, terminal, sessile, ⅛–⅙ in. long; anthers numerous; connective broad, triangular, acute. Female flowers at the tips of the branchlets. Nuts 1 or 2, oblong, obtuse, not com-page 656pressed, about 1/12 in. long, enclosed for ⅓ of their length or more in a lax cup-shaped aril.—Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 51. D. Westlandicurn, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 387, t. 18; Forest Fl. t. 85; Hook. f. Ic. Plant, t. 1218.

North Islahd: Between Mongonui and Kaitaia, Carse! Whangaroa, Hector 1 between the Bay of Islands and Whangarei, Colenso; Great Barrier Island, Kirk! Waimarino Forest, Kirk! South Islahd: Not uncommon along the West Coast from Collingwood to Martin's Bay, Kirk! Spencer! Townson! Brame! Helms! &c. Sea-level to 3000 ft. Silver-pine; Monoao.

Very close to the preceding; but the leaves of the young trees are much flatter, more decurrent, and often distichous; the mature leaves are smaller and the branchlets more slender; and the nuts are smaller, often 2 together, and are enclosed sometimes almost as far as the middle in the unusually well-developed aril. The wood is yellowish-white, straight - grained, strong and compact, very durable. It is exported from Westland to all parts of the colony ior railway-sleepers, and has been used with good results for the framework of bridges, wharves, &c.

D. Colensoi is a species which has been much misunderstood. By nearly all writers the name has been applied to the mountain-plant originally described by Sir W. J. Hooker in the "Icones Plantarum" (t. 544) as Podocarpus(?) biformis, the Dacrydium biforme of this work, although the two species are in reality totally different. The mistake appears to have originated in the "Flora Novse Zealandise," where Sir J. D. Hooker quoted Podocarpus(?) biformis as a synonym of D. Colensoi. His description is based entirely on D. biforme, and the localities given (Dusky Bay, Menzies; Tongariro and Ruahine Mountains, Colenso; mountains near Nelson, Bidwill) all unquestionably refer to the same plant. It is curious that, although the original plate of D. Colensoi is cited in the Flora, no reference is given to the locality in which the species was first discovered. From a letter of Mr. Colenso's sent with the type specimens, and published in the London Journal of Botany (Vol. i, p. 301), this appears to have been the rough forest country between Whangarei and the Bay of Islands—a station quite 250 miles to the north of the northern limit of D. biforme. Early in the preparation of this work a comparison of the original descriptions and figures convinced me that, although the plate of Podocarpus(?) biformis was a very faithful representation of the plant to which all New Zealand botanists, following the example of Sir J. D. Hooker, at that time assigned the name of Colensoi, it by no means corresponded with the original plate of D. Colensoi. Not only did the two plants differ in a marked degree in habit and foliage, but the figures given of the fruit of D. Colensoi were so unlike that of D. biforme as to make their specific distinctness beyond all doubt, It therefore became necessary to restore Podocarpus(?) biformis to the rank of a species under the name of D. biforme. Further study of the original plate of D. Colensoi made it clear that two subsequently described species—D. intermedium and D. Westlandicum—were evidently close allies, intermedium so far as the foliage was concerned, Westlandicurn with respect to the fruit. Under these circumstances I applied to Kew with the object of having these two plants compared with the type specimens, but, unfortunately, it was found that the latter were no longer in the herbarium. About this time Dr. Pilger, of Berlin, took up the study of the Taxacece for "Das Pflanzenreich." Fortunately he found one of Colenso's original specimens in the Imperial Herbarium at Vienna. He has thus been able to compare it with the other New Zealand species, and has satisfied himself that it is identical with D. Westlandicurn. I willingly accept this determination, although D. Westlandicurn usually has much more slender branches than those figured in the original plate. I am also glad to take this opportunity of referring New Zealand students to Dr. Pilger's memoir, which contains carefully prepared descriptions of the whole of the New Zealand Taxads, and •much valuable information respecting them.

D. laxifolium, Hook. f. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. iv. (1845) 143.—A small prostrate shrub with very slender trailing branches 3–24 in. long; rarely suberect, and reaching a height of 2 ft. Leaves of young plants lax, spreading, ⅕–⅓ in. long, narrow-linear, acute, flat, curved; with the growth of the plant gradually becoming shorter, broader and thicker, and more closely set. Leaves of mature plants varying from ⅛ in. long, linear-oblong, obtuse or subacute, spreading, to 1/25–1/20 in. long, broadly ovate or oblong, obtuse, keeled or rounded on the back, closely imbricate. Flowers diœcious or monœcious. Males solitary, terminal, sessile, ⅕–¼ in. long. Female flowers solitary and terminal. Nut small, erect, oblong, obtuse with a small curved apiculus, about ⅛ in. long; receptacle sometimes dry, sometimes swollen and succulent,—Ic. Plant, t. 825; Fl. Nov.'Zel. i. 234; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 259; Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. x. (1878) 388; Forest Fl. t. 87; Pilger in Pflanzenreich, iv. 5, 50.

North Island: Tongariro, Bidwill, Hector! T. F. C.; Ruapehu, Rev. F. H. Spencer! Ruahine Mountains, Colenso! H. Hill! Hamilton! South Island, Stewart Island: Common in mountain districts throughout. Usually between 2500 ft. and 4000 ft., but descends to sea-level in Stewart Island.

A very remarkable little species, probably the smallest known pine. Fruiting specimens can often be seen barely 3 in. in diameter, although the usual size of the plant is more. The minute imbricated leaves are often entirely wanting, even in old plants; at other times both imbricated and spreading leaves occur on the same branch.