284 WOODS OF COMMEEOE 



Yellowish-wliite, heavy, close- and straight-grained, tough, very 

 strong, working up well, very durable, especially in moist situations. 

 Used for sleepers, piles, bridges, mine-props, masts, decks, and 

 building. 



Tapang {Koompdssia excelsa Taub. : Order Legummosce). Borneo. 

 A dense dark-red wood, reaching very large dimensions, a section, 

 from Sarawak, in the Timber Museum at Kew, representing only 

 part of the diameter, being fully 10 ft. square. 



Taraire (Beilschmiedia Tardiri Benth. and Hook. fil. = iVe5o- 

 ddfhni Tarairi Hook. fil. : Order Laurinece), New Zealand. Height 

 60—80 ft. ; diam. 1—2 ft. S.G. 888. W 55-34:. p 112-3. Hard, 

 compact, susceptible of a good polish, but not durable, if exposed. 

 Suitable for cabinet-work. 



Tarco {Thouinia weinmannifolia Griseb. : Order Sapinddcece), 

 Northern Argentina. '' White Ebony." Yielding timber 13 ft. 

 long and 1 ft. square. Of a fine white, ivory-hke appearance, and 

 beautifully figured. In request for ornamental cabinet-work and 

 panelling. 



Tatamaka, See Peon. 



Tawa {Beilschmiedia Tdwa Benth. and Hook. fil.==Laurus Tdwa 

 A. Gxixm.,^ Nesoddphne Tdwa Hook. fil.). New Zealand. Height 

 60—70 ft.; diam. 1—2 ft. S.G. 761. W 47—43. p 205-5. 

 White, compact, even-grained, but, like the allied Taraire, not 

 durable if exposed. Suitable for furniture. 



Tawhai [Idgus Menziesii Hook. fil. : Order GupuUferce). New 

 Zealand. "Silver" or "Red Birch." S.G. 626. W 38-99 

 p 258-2. 



Tawhai raunui {Fdgus fusca Hook. fil.). New Zealand. Known 

 also as " Black " or " Red Birch." Height 100 ft. ; diam. 10 ft. 

 S.G. 780. W 48—53. p 202-3. Brown, very strong, tough, easily 

 worked and durable. Used for sleepers, piles, bridges, and fences. 



Tawhai rauriki. See Birch, Black or White. 



Tea, a name transferred in Austraha, from the varieties of 

 Thi'a assdmica (Order Oamellidcece) cultivated in China and now in 

 India, to various species of Melaleuca and the aUied genemKHnzea 

 and Leptospirmum (Order Myrtdcece) the leaves having been used 

 as a substitute for tea by Captain Cook's sailors. The name is 

 applied unqualified (i) to Leptospermum lanigerum Sm., seldom 

 larger than a tall shrub, with light-coloured, heavy, hard, tough, 

 even-grained, and durable wood, used for tool-handles and fishing- 

 rods, and by the aborigines for spears ; (ii) to L. flaviscens Sm. 

 similar, but reaching a height of 15—20 ft., and a diameter of 

 5 — 8 in. ; and (iii) to Melaleuca uncindta R. Br., which reaches 

 70 — 90 ft. in height and 2 — 3 ft. in diameter. 



