218 Transactions. 



decoction of the bark of white manuka is used by Natives where- 

 with to cure diarrhoea. 



Mapere is the Native name of a species of toetoe which grows 

 in the bush. It has a dark-green leaf and black " plumes." 



The maru is a swamp-grass, or sedge. 



The matai was one of the most important trees of the forest 

 to the neolithic Maori, for it w r as included in a group of trees 

 termed rakau rangatira (important trees), as opposed to the 

 smaller or less useful species, which are known as rakau ware. 

 or common trees. If you remark to a Native that his hair is 

 becoming grey, he will reply that moss grows only on rakau 

 rangatira — alluding to the long grey moss that is often seen on 

 different species of Podocarpus. Grey hair is also alluded to 

 as the tarutaru o Tura, or weeds of Tura. Young trees of matai 

 are known as kai and kakai among Tuhoe, and as mai among 

 some other tribes. " Ko te ivahie tena i taona ai a Tupurupuni " 

 (That is the fuel by means of which the body of Tupurupuni 

 was cooked) is a saying connected with this tree. Tupurupuni 

 was an ancestor of the East Coast Natives, who lived and was 

 slain at Poverty Bay. Natives recognise the difference in ap- 

 pearance of timber, &c., that exists among matai trees, as also 

 differences in the " flesh," as do our bushmen. They believe 

 that the variety which has a dry, light inner wood, and splits 

 easily, is the female tree. The wood of the matai was used for 

 drums (pahu) and some other articles, as it is said to possess 

 good sounding -qualities. 



The common blue pansy, introduced by the early mission- 

 aries, was named matia by Tuhoe, after the name of the Native 

 who brought the first plant to Rua-tahuna. 



The matukutuku is probably a Lycopodium. 



The mauku fern (Asplenium bulbijerum) is the most common 

 fern in the Tuhoean forests. The young undeveloped fronds. 

 termed pikopiko, form an article of food ; while coarse mats of 

 a very temporary nature were plaited from its leaves and used 

 as a covering at night by refugees or persons camping out. 

 Hence the tribal aphorism, " Rua-tahuna kakahu mauku " (Rua- 

 tahuna of the mauku clothing). The young plants often seen 

 adhering in great numbers to the leaves are termed tururu 

 mauku. which was taken as a tribal name by one division of the 

 original inhabitants of the Bay of Plenty district. Fronds 

 of this fern seem to have been used in certain rites connected 

 with the felling of trees, and the making of a new canoe, in days 

 of yore. 



Maukuuku is a secondary name of the pari (Grastrodia 

 Cunninghamii), and is a sort of term of courtesy for that plant, 

 the tuberous roots of which are eaten bv the Natives. If when 



