7 . 
in Edward I (Plantagenet) time is only reaching us 
today. Though this star is so unbelievably far 
away it is one of the brightest in the sky, so we 
can try to imagine the size of this immense ’’sun”. 
TASMANIAN CONIFERS . 
There are three recorded species of the gsrns 
Arthrotaxis, a genus that is confined to this State. 
A. cupressoides (King William Pine) was first 
discovered on the King William Range, hence its 
common name c 
A, selaginoides (Pencil Pine), and .a vari¬ 
able form A . laxifolia intermediate between the 
other two. 
Other conifers are - 
Pitsroya archeri, a small shrubby plant, fair¬ 
ly common at high altitudes in damp soil. 
Microcachrys tetragons, the small creeping 
’pine* found in similar positions to the last, and 
is peculiar in having bright red cones. 
Pherosphaera hookeriana (Hooker’s Pine) is an¬ 
other of the yews growing at high altitudes in vet 
places. It has a near relative in the wet forests 
of N.S.W. 
Dacrydium frahklinni (Huon Pine) is a yew that 
lives on the banks of streams and in wet gullies 
of the western part of the State. It is of slow 
growth and produces excellent timber. In New 
Zealand there are seven species all endemic, 
and each member of the genus has a very restricted 
distribution, giving rise to the opinion that it is 
of a dying-out race. 
