274 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



pungent leaves in place of tea. Indeed, the whole plant, 

 including leaves, flowers, fruit, and young shoots, is highly 

 aromatic, and the oil which it contains, will perhaps, in future, 

 be put to some useful purpose. 



The flowers are generally hermaphrodite, but are sometimes 

 imperfect or unisexual. A branch may occasionally be found 

 bearing flowers which are staminate only, while on the lower 

 portion of the same branch last year's seed capsules are borne. 

 The capsule is hard and woody, of a reddish-brown colour. 

 Very small specimens occasionally bear flowers. A plant 

 was once observed, not more than half-an-inch in height, 

 which bore a flower and duly developed seed. The flower 

 appeared to be actually lying upon the ground. 



The wood of this tree is largely used for fences and 

 firewood. The Maoris made use of it for their paddles and 

 spears, and a bunch of the twigs makes an excellent broom. 



Leptospepmum ericoides {The Heath-like Manuka). 



A larger tree than the precedmg. Leaves narrow, acute, glabrous or silky, 

 fascicled. Flowers J in. across, white, very fragrant. Maori name Manuka- 

 rauriki. Both islands. Fl. Nov. -Jan. 



This is nearly, but not quite as common a plant, as the 

 previous one. Like the former species, at high levels, in 

 wind-swept localities, it becomes prostrate, and is reduced to a 

 few inches in height. In suitable positions, however, it grows 

 to be a larger tree than L. scoparium, sometimes attaining a 

 height of sixty feet, and a diameter of one to three feet. Its 

 timber is hard and durable, and is used for jetty piles, spokes 

 of wheels, fence-rails, and other purposes. It is also much 

 sought after for firewood, and this has led to the cutting out 

 of all the larger trees over wide areas, so that in many places 

 it is now impossible to procure it. To many old settlers, 

 however, the odour of burning manuka logs brings memories 

 of the pleasant winter evenings of times long past. 



