FLORA VITIENSIS. 265 
9 
7. D. Moorei, Lindl. in Journ, Hort. Soe, Lond. vol. vi. p. 271; G. Bennett, 1. ¢, p. 8352.--~New Cale- 
donia. In Sydney, the bark of branches one year old, as well as the nascent branchlets, were green; the 
young leaves green above, and slightly pruinose below, whilst the old leaves were without any pruinose 
covering ; the foliage was very dense. Branches at the base of tree pendulous. The cones are unknown; 
and I asked Mr. Moore whether he had any proofs of this species really belonging to Dammara, and not to 
Podocarpus, two genera impossible to distinguish in leaf in all cases, but he expressed himself satisfied 
about its being a genuine Dammara. It is just possible that D. lanceolata, trom New Caledonia, a name 
mentioned by Vieillard in the Ann. des Sc. Nat. vol. xvi. (ser. 4) p. 56, may be identical with this species, 
which Lindley briefly characterized “foliis anguste lanceolatis acuminatis subfaleatis tenuioribus.” 
8. D. Vitiensis, Seem.; G. Bennett, 1.c.—Viti. In Sydney the nascent branchlets and young leaves 
were green, without any pruinose covering. 
A plant cultivated in Sydney, under the name Dammara sp, e horto Maurit., with leaves and branches 
green on both sides, I hold to be a Podocarpus. 
1. D. Vitiensis, (sp. nov.) Seem. (Tab. LX XVI.) ; foliis oppositis lanceolatis acutis v. obtusi- 
usculis; amentis ¢......; strobili globosi squamis adpressis apice rotundatis; seminum alis sub- 
zequalibus cultriformibus.—Nomen vernac. Vitiense, “‘Dakua.’’—Vanua Levu, Viti Levu, Ovalau, and 
Kadavu (Seemann! n. 577.) 
Dakua trees have been found in Vanua Levu, Viti Levu, Ovalau, and Kadavu; but European sawyers 
have already made such sad havoc amongst them, that it is only in the two former islands where they are 
still abundant. Wilkes alludes to a fine one near Levuka, Oyalau, which measured five feet in diameter, or 
fifteen feet in circumference. Those which I saw at Korovono, Vanua Levu, displayed greater dimensions, 
the largest stem being, at four feet above the base, eighteen feet; and another, also four feet above the 
base, sixteen feet in circumference. Milne (Hook. Journ. Bot. and Kew Mise. ix. p. 118) gives from 
eighteen to twenty-seven feet circumference as the maximum, but he does not state at what height above 
the base his measurement was taken. Some of the trees at Koroyono were from eighty to a hundred feet 
high, and up to a height of sixty feet free from branches. The bark was whitish on the outer, Ph as on 
inner, surface, peeling off like that of Australian gum-trees. Old specimens did not exhibit regular w ners 
of branches, as is the case with most Conifers. The wood of the Koroyono tree was white, but there is saic 
to be also a red-wooded kind, which may perhaps prove specifically distinct from this plant. Dakua wood 
is used for masts, booms, and spars, for flooring houses, and for all those purposes for which deal is ens 
employed by us. Spars, from sixty to eighty feet long, and two to three feet thick, were seen at agura, 
Viti Levu. The Dakua is not gregarious, but always found isolated in forests of a bast Cours a i a 
other Kowrie-pines, the Fijian Dakua exudes a gum, or rather resin, called “ Makadre. . oe welg ung 
50 Ibs. have occasionally been found under old rotten stumps; and much might be Gee ed in dis oe : 
whence these trees have disappeared, if the natives could be made acquainted with the ae iar : 7 w m 1 
the New Zealanders sound the ground for their kowrie-gum. ‘There has never been any oreign trade in this 
in Fiji, 1 fit rave market-value, rejected the offer of the natives to 
article, because the Europeans in Fiji, ignorant of its averag ue, re) gee pres 
collect it. Captain Dunn, an American, 1s said to have taken away half a ton i ib; a ibe oe y vere - 
whether he was able to dispose of it to advantage. New Zealand kowrie-gum ie ae Ba een 
ublie sales in London from 14s. to 16s. the cwt. In consequence, however, of the rebellion in } < ‘ é a 
it gradually advanced in 1860 from 25s. to 28s. ; in the spring of 1861 it was seo at from 18s. es, ae 
+ “Il'no doubt ultimately be sold again at its former prices. — The Fijians use t 1¢ -guoy principally tor 
an s e t kamakadretaka) —the substance being put on while the vessels are yet very hot, and for 
eae ine elder the eum cets, the better it burns. At first it is of a light whitish colour, but with age 
re and more that of amber, as well as transparent. The natives, fearing demons, ghosts, and other 
becomes er tl ain ld faney, are always anxious to be housed before sunset, and when compelled to venture 
Seiten? . pte rhe bemiehted set up loud yells to drive away evil spirits, and light a torch made either 
ohstauake ae ‘the Dakua (bound round with rushes), the stem of the Wavuwavu (Erigeron albidum, 
s se Nghe tract of the Bamboo, or the flower-stalks of the Cocoa-nut Palm. {In the smaller ne 
ee coast-districts of Vanua Levu and Viti Levu, lamps fed with pete ie ~ Hraeteg a 
in the interior of the principal islands, where ae ch 13 " ee aa Sens se fe Peeaeaaa iby 
Dakina is: bigent, eisher ee Ay eatin, When burnt ‘in the first-mentioned way, the resin 18 
sD 7 ean Sarasin 9 about and joniting the Pandanus matting or pe She eet erie er te 
BP ee AEN ‘ned from the smoke of the burning resin is used for the hair and for pe g 
the houses. <A dye obtainec rom the we, DL fhe Ne oelanaes 
IR cloth black, or mixed with a certain red ot to mate : ate Pigmen’ , (Aiowsites *iloba, Borst), 
it 1] iploved for tattoomg women instead of the juice of the hi Se tee 
: ove fo by ladies of rank: the skin being punctured with thorns of the Shaddock-tree, 
res 

burning. 
