Best. — Maori Forest Lore. 209 



The houhi, known in some districts as houi, houhere, and 

 wkauwhi, is a very common tree in Tuhoeland. That variety 

 bearing a white flower is a charming sight during a season when 

 such blossoms are abundant. The deciduous variety is much 

 the larger specimen of these " ribbonwoods," as they are often 

 termed by settlers (being also known popularly as " lacebark " 

 and " thousand-jacket "). This tree may be seen nearly 2 ft. 

 in diameter and sometimes as much as 50 ft. in height. It has 

 a very insignificant, non-conspieuous flower. The Tuhoe Natives 

 call it houhi-ongaonga, because* they have a belief that it is a 

 mature form of the ongaonga (Urtica ferox), saying that the 

 latter eventually develops a single stem which grows into the 

 large deciduous houhi — a very singular theory. This tree is 

 certainly deciduous in the Tuhoe district, not partially so. The 

 bark of this tree is extremely thick. Its leaves are eaten by the 

 pigeon. The inner part of the bark was sometimes eaten by 

 refugees or others in an extreme stage of hunger. This tree 

 is probably Plagianthus betidinus, though Cheeseman's Manual 

 does not mention its deciduous habit, but it speaks of Gaga 

 Lyalli as being partially so. Mr. Rutland speaks of Plagianthus 

 betulinus and P. divaricatus as being evergreen or deciduous 

 according to the Isituation in which they grow. (See Trans. 

 N.Z. Inst., vol. xxi, p. 110.) These deciduous trees are seen 

 orowino- bv the sides of streams, or a little wavun hillsides, in 

 Tuhoeland, to an altitude of at least 2,000 ft. 



The puahou or houhou tree, known also as parapara, is very 

 common in this district. It grows readily in places where the 

 forest has been destroyed. Places thickly overgrown with this 

 tree are often alluded to as tau -parapara. The old Maori name 

 of the site of the Hawera Township, in Taranaki, was Tau-patate, 

 the latter word {palate) being the native name of Schefjlera 

 digitata. The bark of the puahou is nibbled off and eaten by 

 horses, and they seem to be remarkably fond of it. It may 

 possibly possess some saline property. The kaka parrot also 

 nibbles off this bark, but finally rejects it, having apparently 

 derived some benefit therefrom. Rats eat off the bark of the 

 small trees, and also the stems of the leaves. The term tahumate 

 seems to be applied to the first puahou that blossoms during a 

 season. There is some singular myth about this tree being the 

 offspring of Rehua, the latter being the name of the star Antares, 

 as also of one of the old-time Maori gods, though possibly the 

 star is the visible form of the god. 



Rehua = Puanga. 



I J I 



Poanana. Tahumate. Puahou. 



