PERSOONIA TORO, 4. Cunningham. 
THE TORU OR TORO. 
OrpER—PROTEACE. 
(Plate LXXIV.) 
Turs handsome tree is commonly termed toro by the northern Natives; but Mr. 
Colenso informs me that it should be torn, Allan Cunningham, by whom it was 
first described, adopted the Native name toro as the specific name—a practice not 
to be commended, since, as pointed out by Mr. Colenso, it has led to much 
confusion in the identification of New Zealand plants. The present species, for 
instance, is often confused with Myrsine salicina (Pl, XV.), ‘‘toro”’ being com- 
monly apphed to both plants. 
The toru attains the extreme height of 5oft., with a trunk 1ft. to 2ft. in 
diameter, but is frequently branched from the base. Its elegant foliage and 
symmetrical habit render it pecuharly attractive. It is, however, restricted to 
the northern portion of the North Island. 
Its leaves are very narrow, and of thick texture, from 4in. to 81n. in length, 
and about Hin. broad; they are gradually narrowed into the leaf-stalk, acute or 
obtuse at the apex, quite entire, and perfectly smooth. ‘The flowers are about 
lin. long, and are produced in racemes developed in the axils of the leaves; each 
raceme consists of from six to ten flowers, and is about tin. in length: the 
flowers are opposite, each being carned on a short stout pedicel with a minute 
bract at the base: all parts of the raceme are covered with dark rust-coloured 
hairs. The flower is of very simple structure, being merely a cup or perianth 
consisting of four leaves, each carrying a short stamen inserted at rather more 
than half its length from the base, the portion of the leaf above the stamens 
being sharply bent back: the ovary is one-celled, with a rather long straight 
style and lobed stigma. The fruit is a nut with a soft fleshy coat, and is usually 
one-, rarely two-celled, cach cell containing a single seed. 
PROPERTIES AND USES. 
The wood of the toru is of a deep red, beautifully marked ; it is of consider- 
able streneth, but rather brittle when old, and speedily perishes when exposed. 
It is used by the Auckland cabinetmakers for ornamental work, inlaying, &c., but 
is rarely to be obtained in any quantity. It is a valuable tree for ornamental 
planting in warm districts. 
DisTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS, 
Persoonta is a large genus, containing sixty species, all of which are restricted 
to \ustraha except P. Toro, which is endemic in New Zealand. 
DistRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES. 
Persoonia Toro is absolutely restricted to the northern part of the North 
Island of New Zealand, extending from Mongonui to the vicinity of Rotorua ; 
but in many parts of this area it is rare and local. 
