320 PLANTS OP NEW ZEALAND 



against grazing animals, it is to be found in the fact that 

 Aciphylla quickly disappears on country over which stock 

 runs. By a curious irony of fate, the protection of the spines, 

 when needed most, is wanting." The young plants are 

 greedily eaten by cattle and sheep, and so, as the old plants 

 die off, no others are allowed to grow up and take their 

 place. Babbits, too, attack the mature plants and destroy 

 them. They are small enough to eat a single leaf, without 

 danger from its neighbours. 



Aciphylla Colensoi (Colenso's Spaniard). 



Plant 2 ft. -8 ft. high. Leaves 1 ft. -2 ft long, in.-S in. broad, spinous. 

 Leaf-sheath also provided with a pair of simple or divided spines, the whole 

 forming a mass of bayonet-like spikes. Umbels arranged in a stout, erect, leafy 

 raceme, greenish-yellow. Both islands. Maori name, Taramea. PL Nov. -Dec. 



Aciphylla squarrosa (The Rough Spaniard). 



Leaf segments narrower than in the preceding, and greyer in colour. The leaf 

 segments are also narrower, being only ^ in.- in. broad, and the fruit is much 

 smaller. Maori name, Kuri-Kuri ; Colonists' name, Spaniard or Wild Spaniard. 



This plant yields a semi-transparent resinous gum, which 

 afforded the most prized scent in use among the Maoris. The 

 species is not found in the lowlands, and in the North Island is 

 generally alpine or sub-alpine. Hence the gum was only 

 obtained with some labour and difficulty. Certain observances 

 also had to be carried out in collecting it. According to 

 Colenso,t it could be collected only by maidens, and then only 

 after the proper prayers and charms had been said by the 

 priest (tohunga). 



There is a dainty little Maori lullaby, in which the name 

 taramea occurs with those of other odorous plants : 



" Taku hei piripiri 

 Taku hei moki-moki 

 Taku hei tawhiri 

 Taku kati taramea." 



*Petrie : " N.Z. Journal of Science," 1891, p. 260. tTrans. XXIV p. 458. 



