PRUMNOPITYS SPICATA. 157 



hard bony shell surrounded with a viscous pericarp covered by a tough 

 pergameneous skin. 



Prumnopitys elegans, Philippi in Linnrea, XXX. 731 (185960). Lindley in 

 Gard. Chron. 1863, p. 6. Carriere, Traite Conif. ed. II. 682. Kent in Veitch's 

 Manual, ed. I. 316. Masters in Journ. R. Hort. Soc. XIV. 244. Ke\v Hand-List, 25. 



Podocarpus andinus, Poppig, Nov. Gen. et Sp. III. 18 ex Endlicher, Synops. 

 Conif. 219 (1847). Gay, Fl. Chil. V. 403 (1849). Parlatore, D. C. Prodr. XVI. 519. 

 Gordon, Pinet. ed. II. 351. Beissner, Nadelholzk. 195. 



Stachycarpus andinus,* Van Tieglieni in Bull. Soc. Fr. 1891 (fide Masters). 



Prumnopitys elegans inhabits the Andes of southern Chile where it 

 has a vertical range of from 4,500 to 6,000 feet elevation ; the limits 

 of its distribution are not known. It was introduced from Valdivia by 

 the Veitchian firm in 1860 through Richard Pearce and has proved 

 hardy over the greater part of Great Britain, but it grows most freely 

 in the south-western counties of England and in Ireland wherever it 

 has been planted.f 



Prumnopitys spicata. 



A tall tree attaining a maximum height of 80 feet, frequently much 

 less, with a trunk rarely exceeding 3 feet in diameter covered with 

 bluish black bark. Primary branches of young trees slender, pendulous 

 and much ramified; of adult trees erect or ascending with numerous short, 

 close-set branchlets. Leaves pseudo-distichous, narrowly linear, mucroiiate, 

 straight or falcately curved, about 0*5 inch long, green above, glaucous 

 beneath. Flowers dioecious in short spikes ; the staminate flowers ovoid, 

 cylindric, composed of numerous anthers with a cordate connective; the 

 ovuliferous flowers three six on a spike, sessile and distant. Fruits 

 globose, 0'5 inch in diameter with a fleshy pericarp. Cotyledons two. 

 Kirk, Forest Flora of New Zealand, 5, tt. 4, 5. 



Prumnopitys spicata, Masters in Kew Hand-List of Conifers, 25 (1896). 



Podocarpns spicatus, R. Brown in Horsfield's Plant. Jav. rar. 40. Hooker, W. 

 Icon. PL 543 (1843). Endlicher, Synops. Conif. 221. Carriere, Traite Conif. ed. II. 

 676. Hooker fil, Handb. N. Zeal. Fl. 258. Parlatore, D. C. Prodr. XVI. 519. 

 Gordon, Pinet, ed. II. 354. 



N. Zeal, vernacular, Black Pine, Matai. 



The species described above was originally discovered by Banks and 

 Solander in Xew Zealand during the memorable voyage of the 

 Endeavour under the command of Captain Cook, 1768 71. It is 

 distributed in greater or less abundance throughout the colony, 

 including Stewart Island in the extreme south. Of its habit and 

 aspect in its native country Mr. Kirk remarks : 



There is a singular difference between the early and mature stages of 

 growth of this tree. Young trees from 10 to 20 feet high exhibit 

 crowded, slender, pendulous branches ramifying into innumerable 

 branchlets, the small narrow leaves, which are of a bronzed tint, being 



* By the rule of priority this should be the accepted name. Stachycarpus is the 

 sectional name proposed by Endlicher in 1847 for the group of species here included in 

 Prumnopitys, and the specific name andinus (Poppig) is of still earlier date. 



t Fine specimens of Prumnopitys elegans are growing at Eastnor Castle (both sexes) ; at 

 Tortworth Court (both sexes) ; Menabilly, Cornwall ; Kilmacurragh, Co. Wicklow ; at Fota 

 Island and Lakelands, Co. Cork. 



