THE LIME-TREE FAMILY 243 



beautifully veined, soft, and fade quickly when gathered. The 

 flowers are produced in large drooping clusters, and are of a 

 pure white, with crumpled petals, each single blossom being 

 about an inch in diameter. The petals are pointed, and are four 

 or five in number. The fruit is dark-brown, and rough with 

 long bristles. These spines are often an inch in length. It is 

 unfortunate tliat this beautiful tree is now becoming rare. 



Fig. 74. Entelea arborescens — Flower and Frnit (3 nat. size). 



However, it is easily cultivated from seed, and will grow in 

 any sheltered situation. 



The wood is remarkably light, and was used by the Maoris 

 in the construction of floats for their fishing-nets, and of small 

 rafts. It is about half the weight of cork, and the whau is 

 sometimes, therefore, termed " the cork-wood tree." Mr. T. 

 Kirk suggested that it might be utilized for life-belts. 



