134 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



at present. It can scarcely be thought that they have never 

 existed there. Possibly they have been displaced. 



Genus NotJiofagus. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves leathery, stipules deciduous. Male flowers several 

 Perianth bell-shaped, 5-6-lobed. Stamens, 8-12, inserted round a central disk. 

 Female catkins usually erect; flowers, 2-4, sessile, with an involucre formed of 

 small scales. Ovary, 3 -celled ; cells, 1-ovuled. Fruit consisting of from 2-4 

 angular nuts enclosed in a prickly 4-valved involucre. (Name, signifying the 

 Southern Beech). 



N. Menziesii (Menzies 9 Beech). 



A large tree, 80ft. -100ft. in height, with silvery bark. Young shoots clothed 

 with brown hairs. Leaves shining, dark green, in. long, ovate or rounded, 

 obtuse, crenate. Fruiting involucre downy, Jin.-^in. long, with soft spines, 

 glandular at the tips. Nuts downy, 2-3-winged ; wings sharp, pointed. North 

 Island : Euahine Mountains and Waikare Lake ; South Island : fiom Nelson 

 to Dusky Bay. The *Silver Birch or Bed Birch. Fl. Nov.-March. 



N. fusca (The Dusky Beech). 



Trunk 80ft. -100ft. in height, sometimes 12ft. in diameter. Branches downy. 

 Leaves lin.-l^in. long, oblong-ovate, serrate. Male flowers 1-3 ; perianth 

 5-toothed. Fruiting involucre ovate. Nuts winged ; wings toothed. North 

 Island : mountainous districts ; South Island : abundant. The * Black Birch or 

 Bed Birch. 



N. Solandri (Solander's Beech). 



Trunk 100ft. in height, 4ft. -5ft. in diameter. Bark white in young trees, 

 black in old. Young shoots very downy. Leaves fin. -fin. long, oblong, obtuse, 

 entire, oblique at the base, white below. Male flowers solitary ; perianth broad 

 Fruiting involucre, hairy or shining, ^in. long ; segments with scales entire or 

 toothed. North Island : mountain forests ; South Island : alt. 3, 000ft. -6, 000ft. 

 The * White Birch. Fl. Nov.-Jan. 



N. cliffoptioides (The Cliffortia-like Beech). 



A small tree, with leaves rounded or cordate at the base, in other respects 

 resembling N. Solandri. North Island : Euahine Mountains ; South Island : 

 Sub-alpine forests. (Cliffortia is a genus of the Eosaceae). The ""Mountain 

 Birch. 



*These names are common but unreliable. 



