184: PLAXTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



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

 existed there. Possibly they have been displaced. 



Ge/i IIS Ni>flii>fa(iiis. 



Shnilis or ti\'t's. Le;u'es leathery, stipules deciduous. jMale Hewers several. 

 T'erianth liell-sliajied, .5-Ci-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-val\-ed in\'okrcre. (Name, signifying the 

 Sou the lit Beech). 



N. Menziesii (Mcnzies' Beecli). 



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

 with hrowir hairs. Lea-\'es shining, dark green, iiu. loirg, ovate or rounded, 

 ohtusc, erenate. Fruiting involucre downy, jin.-Jin. long, with soft spines, 

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

 Island : Ruahinc jMountains and Waikare Lake ; South Island : from Nelson 

 to Dusky Bay. The "Silrei' Birch or Red Birch. Fl. Nov. -March. 



N. fusca [The Diiskii Beech). 



Trunk 80ft. -100ft. in height, sometinres 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 {Snlander'n Beech). 



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

 black in old. Young slioots ver)' downy. Leaves Jrin.-fin. long, oblong, obtuse, 

 entire, ol)liquc at the liase, white lielow. JMale 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 * Willie Birch. Fl. Nov.-Ja.n. 



N. cliffortioides (The CHfortui-likc Beech). 



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

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

 Al])s of Nelson ,ind Canterbury. (Clifiortia is a genus of the Rosaceae.) The 

 'M,;iiit„in liirch. 



^Tliese names are cnimuori l:)ut unreliable. 



