Plate 188.— DACRYDIUM INTERMEDIUM. 



(YELLOW-PINE.) 

 Family TAXACEiE.] [Genus DACRYDIUM, Sol 



Dacrydium intermedium, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst, x (1878), 386, t. 20 ; Cheesem. Man. 

 N.Z. Fl. 655. 



For our first knowledoe of this handsome pine we are indebted to the 

 late Mr. T. Kirk. He first observed it in 1867 on the Hirakimata Range, on the 

 Great Barrier Island ; and in the followino- year also detected it on the higher 

 mountains of the Cape Colville Peninsula, where it is not uncommon at an 

 elevation of from 1,700 ft. to 2,500 ft. Further research has shown that it has 

 a wide range. The most northern station that I am acquainted with is the 

 Puhipuhi Forest, between Whangarei and the Bay of Islands, from whence 

 I have seen specimens collected by Mr. R. Mair. It occurs in several scattered 

 localities between the Thames goldfields and Te Aroha Mountain, but has not 

 yet been detected on the Patetere Plateau or in the East Cape district. In 

 the Waimarino Forest it is not uncommon, although not so plentiful as its 

 close ally D. Colensoi. I have seen specimens collected on the Ruahine Range 

 by Mr. Colenso and others, and it has been reported from the Kaimanawa 

 and Tararua Mountains. In the South Island it appears to be fairly plen- 

 tiful on the western side of the Island, from Nelson and Collingwood to the 

 Sounds on the south-west coast of Otago; and it is common on Stewart Island, 

 where it chiefly occurs at low levels. I have seen it at an elevation of fully 

 4,000 ft. on the Nelson mountains. 



The yellow silver-pine, as it is frequently called in Westland, is a small 

 tree 30 ft. to 40 ft. or 50 ft. in height, with a trunk 1 ft. to 2 ft. in diameter, 

 rarely more. In shape it is usually conical, with slightly drooping ultimate 

 branchlets; but when growing on the tops of ridges, or in exposed places gene- 

 rally, it has a shorter trunk with more spreading branches, with stiffer and more 

 crowded erect branchlets. This is the state usually seen on the mountains of the 

 Cape Colville Peninsula, and at first sight looks somewhat different from the 

 taller and more slender form of the Nelson and Westland Districts. The foliage 

 differs greatly at successive stages of the growth of the tree. The leaves of 

 yv^ung seedlings are lax and spreading, narrow linear-subulate, acute, curved, 

 and terete, and vary in length from ^ in. to i in. (see fig. A. of the accompanying 

 plate). These gradually pass into the leaves of young trees, which are close-set, 

 erecto-patent, ^ in. to } in. long, broadly subulate, trigonous, acute (see fig. B). 

 These again pass by imperceptible gradations into those of mature plants, 

 which are densely quadrifariously imbricate and appressed to the branch, 

 rhomboid, obtuse, keeled, thick and coriaceous, tVin. to x^oin. long (see fig. C). 

 It is worth mention that in Nelson and Westland young trees still bearing what 

 may be called the second stage of foliage produce flowers and fruit profusely, 

 a peculiarity which I have not noticed in Cape Colville specimens. 



D. intermedium produces a timber of great strength and durabilitv. It 

 is straight and even in the grain, very dense and compact, easily worked, and 

 takes a high finish. Together with its near ally D. Colensoi. it has been 

 largely used in Westland for railway-sleepers, telegraph-poles, &c., and has 

 been found to give the utmost satisfaction wherever tried; but, unfortunately, 

 the supply is fast becoming exhausted in accessible localities. The timber i's 

 also well adapted for furniture and general building purposes. 



