354 PODOCAEPUS. 



wanting on the upper surface, but rather projecting on the 

 under one; from three to four lines long, and from one 

 to one line and a half broad in the widest part. Male flowers 

 small, cylindrical, obtuse, and united in threes on the top of 

 the axillary peduncle. Fruit unknown. 



A very small bush, found near the limits of perpetual snow, 

 on the mountain of Tonga.riro, in the northern part of New 

 Zealand. 



It is not yet introduced. 



No. 52. PoDOCAEPUS SPiCATA, E. Brovjn, the Spike-flowered 



Podocarpus. 



Syn. Dacrydium Mai, Cunningham. 

 „ „ taxifolium. Banks. 



„ „ Mayi, Van Houtte. 



Leaves mostly in two rows, but sometimes those on the larger 

 branches are alternate and scattered; from a quarter to one inch 

 and a quarter long, and one line broad, needle-shaped, imbri- 

 cated, placed all round, and glaucous below, while those on the 

 small lateral ones and branchlets are regularly linear, acute- 

 pointed, mostly falcate, and of a dull green, or reddish-brown 

 on the upper surface, and with two glaucous bands below, re- 

 curved at the edges, oblique at the base, rounded at the ends, 

 sometimes spoon-shaped, and furnished with a very fine and 

 short mucro, and placed on very short slender foot-stalks. 

 Branches and branchlets numerous, flexuose, ascending, or 

 spreading horizontal, or sometimes deflected, and covered with 

 a reddish bark. Male catkins from ten to twenty in number^ 

 sessile, and disposed in erect axillary spikes, those of the 

 female ones in loose, many-fruited spikes. Fruit globular, 

 nearly sessile, and from four to seven on each spike. 



An enormous tree, growing from 150 to 200 feet high, with 

 a straight stem, found growing in swampy places on the 

 Northern Island of New Zealand, where the natives call it 

 " Mai." 



It is quite tender. 



