184 ALECTRYON EXCELSUM. 
PROPERTIES AND USEs. 
Although the titoki does not afford a durable timber under exposure, it is 
justly valued on account of its great strength, toughness, and elasticity, while it 
is straight in the grain, even, compact, and easily worked: itis of a light-reddish 
colour, and destitute of figure. 
Its specific gravity varies from ‘go4 to *929, its weight per cubic foot from 
56°311b. to 57-94lb., and its breaking weight from 246lb. to 25o0lb.; but as only 
three specimens were tested it is hardly probable that maximum results were 
obtained.* 
[t is suitable for purposes which demand great strength and elasticity, but 
do not involve any great amount of exposure to the weather. It is highly valued 
for bullock-yokes: with the exception of mangiao it is perhaps the best of all 
New Zealand timbers for that purpose : it 1s excellent for axe-handles and for the 
handles of carpenters’ tools, for swingle-trees, for light framing for machinery, 
and for some purposes of the cabinctmaker; but it is most niche esteemed by 
the wheelwright and coachbuilder, being used for light spokes, felloes, hubs, 
panels, and bent ware. It is also suitable for the manufacture of the woodwork 
of many kinds of agricultural implements. 
DIsTRIBUTION. 
Alectryon comprises only a single species, which is endemic in New Zealand. 
It is common in lowland woods or on their margins throughout the North 
Island, and, crossing Cook Strait, finds its southern limit on Banks Peninsula on 
the east coast, and between Hokitika and Ross on the west coast. 
Although essentially a lowland plant it ascends from the sea- level to 
upwards of 2,000ft. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Alectryon excelsum, DC. 
Hook., ‘‘ Icones Plantarum,” t. 570. : 
An erect tree, from 4oft. to 6oft. high, with black bark. Branchlets, leaves, 
inflorescence, and fruit clothed with russet pubescence. Leaves alternate, 
exstipulate, unequally pinnate, 4in. to 12in. long; leaflets shortly petioled, 2in. 
to 4in. long, entire, oblique at the base, ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, 
entire or obscurely crenate, or with distant obscure teeth, or serrate. Flowers 
in axillary panicles, 4in. to roin. long, branches slender; flowers pedicelled ; 
calyx inferior, five-lobed; petals none; stamens six to eight, inserted between 
the lobes of the disk; ovary hirsute, one-celled, with a short style. Fruit, in, 
long, globose, gibbous, with a flattened ridge on one side, terminating in a spur 
at the back; indehiscent. Seed solitary, broadly pyriform, black, shining, 
surrounded at its base by a fleshy scarlet granulated arillus. The cotyledons 
are spirally folded, 
EXPLANATION OF Pirates XCII. anp XCIII. 
XCII. Aleciryoi excelsum, DC. Leaf and flowering panicle, natural size, 
Flower showing stamens before dehiscence. 2. The same after dehiscence. 
3. Ovary. All magnified. 
XCILI. Aleciryon excelsum, DC. Fruiting specimen, natural size. 1. Ripe 
fruit. 2. Wruit undergoing dehiscence. 3. Lower portion of the pericarp after 
the removal of the seed. 4. Seed a. Btiins at its base. 5. Seed. 6 and 
7. Longitudinal sections of a seed. 8. Embryo. | 
* Balfour: Experiments on the Strength of. New Zealand Timbers. 
