84 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



The fan-like appearance of the beautiful leaves is due to the 

 splitting up of the large, entire leaf, caused by the shrinkage 

 of certain tissues. The flowers are sometimes borne on the 

 axils of the leaves, but in other cases are terminal. They 

 are, however, always enclosed while in bud, in a large spathe 

 or sheath. 



Genus Hhopalostylis. 



Trees with pinnate leaves, and ringed trunks. Flowers in large axillary 

 panicles. Flower-buds enclosed in a spathe. Stamens 6. Fruit a drupe. 2 sp. 



Rhopalostylis sapida (The Nikau Palm). 



A tree, sometimes 30 ft. in height. Stem ringed, green. Leaves 14 ft. in 



length. Spathes 2 or 3, 12in. long. Flowering axis white ; flowers white. 



Drupe Jin. long. Both islands : as far south as Akaroa on the east coast and 

 Dusky Bay on the west. 



This elegant and graceful palm is found usually in thick 

 bush. Any specimen standing alone will have its leaves 

 bruised or broken. The Maoris used the nikau leaves in the 

 construction of their whares, or native huts. A frame-work 

 was made of manuka sticks, and the roof and walls composed 

 of palm leaves, which formed a covering as water-tight as if 

 built of iron. These leaves keep out the wet in a marvellous 

 manner, even when the thatching is so open that one can see 

 the clouds and stars through the interstices. Every separate 

 leaf division is a little channel, which conducts the rain-drops 

 to the ground outside. Nikau whares are extremely pretty 

 and picturesque, but are now rarely seen, owing to the 

 unfortunate cheapness of corrugated iron. Bushmen, how- 

 ever, still make them occasionally for temporary residences. 



The top of the stem is fleshy and juicy, and is sometimes 

 eaten. The nikau palm will stand fire almost as well as the 

 cabbage-tree. After a big bush fire most of the trees are 

 killed, except the nikaus, the cabbage-trees, and the fern- 

 trees. 



The flowers are sessile upon a thick, fleshy axis, the whole 

 inflorescence being enclosed when young in a large spathe. 



