ae 
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DODONZEA VISCOSA, Linné. 
THE AKE. 
Orper—SAPINDACE:. 
(Plate XVII.) 
Frew New Zealand plants exhibit a greater amount of variation in habit and 
stature than the ake, or the akeake as it is more frequently termed by settlers: 
plants less than a foot in height may be found producing fruit in profusion ; 
usually, however, it is from 6ft. to 2oft. high, and occasionally attains the 
extreme height of 30ft., with a trunk rarely exceeding 1ft. in diameter. The 
young branches and leaves are extremely viscid, and when growing near the sea 
are often covered with wind-blown sand to such an extent that the plant 
becomes stunted, gradually ceases to develop leaves, and dies. The bark is 
a reddish-brown, and rather thin, somewhat resembling the bark of the fuchsia 
in colour, but deeper; the branches are erect; the leaves are entire, narrow- 
obovate in shape, with the tips rounded or slightly notched. The male and 
female flowers are produced on separate trees, and form small panicles at the 
tips of the branchlets; both alike are destitute of corollas, but the male 
flowers, from their great profusion and the red colour of their anthers, present an 
attractive appearance ; the female flowers are insignificant, and may easily be 
overlooked. The fruit 1s conspicuous, being surrounded with rather broad 
membranous wings. The flowers are produced in October and November. 
The plant is easily cultivated. 
DiIsTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS. 
Dodoneéa contains about forty-three species, of which no fewer than thirty- 
eight are restricted to Australia; one species occurs in the Sandwich Islands, 
another in South Africa, two in Mexico, and one over the entire area of the 
genus, extending to tropical America and Asia. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES. 
From the North Cape to Banks Peninsula, chiefly on the coast or in dry 
woods; Chatham Islands. Outside the colony it occurs in tropical America, 
Africa, Asia, the Pacific islands, and Australia. 
PROPERTIES AND USEs. 
The heartwood is black variegated with streaks or patches of white; it is 
remarkably dense and heavy, and was formerly used by the Natives for the 
manufacture of clubs and weapons of war. It is valued for many purposes of 
the cabinetmaker, picture-frames, inlaying, &c., and has been employed as a 
substitute for brass for machine-bearings with good results. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Dodoneea viscosa, Linné. 
A dicecious evergreen tree, 6ft. to 30ft. high, with thin reddish-brown bark ; 
branchlets viscid; leaves 2in. to 31n. long on short petioles, linear-obovate or 
