METROSIDEROS TOMENTOSA, A. Cunningham. 
THE POHUTUKAWA. 
OrpER—MYRTACE. 
(Plate CXVIII.) 
Tue pohutukawa is, perhaps, the most magnificent plant in the New Zealand 
flora: it attains upwards of 7oft. in height, often with a comparatively short 
trunk and numerous large tortuous arms clothed with bold foliage, green above 
but white and silvery beneath: from the beginning of December to the middle 
of January its branches are crowned from base to summit with large panicles of 
glittering blood-red flowers, affording a pleasing contrast with the white under- 
surface of the leaves as the branches are from time to time uplifted by the 
breeze. 
Very rarely it forms a straight symmetrical trunk with a compact round 
head. On Rangitoto, an extinct volcano at the entrance to the Waitemata, 
diminutive specimens, ft. to 3ft. high, may be seen growing from the face of the 
basaltic rock, and, notwithstanding the unfavourable nature of the habitat, 
exhibiting the utmost luxuriance of foliage and extremely brilliant flowers. 
It was originally discovered by Banks and Solander during Cook's first 
voyage, and received the MS. name of Metrosideros excelsa, but was first described 
by Allan Cunningham. It is the ‘“ Christmas-tree”’ of the settlers, who use its 
flowers freely for Christmas decorations. 
It is often of irregular growth, with a trunk from aft. to 4ft. in diameter; 
clothed with brown bark, which is much furrowed and wrinkled. The primary 
branches are often massive and wide-spreading: the branchlets are stout, and 
clothed with a dense coat of white or dark hairs; the under-surfaces of the 
leaves are coated with snow-white hairs. The leaves are carried on short leat- 
stalks, and are arranged in four rows; they are from tin. to nearly 4in. long, 
including the leaf-stalk, and from jin. to 1}in. broad, sharply narrowed towards 
the apex, and rounded at the base: they are of very stout texture, with the 
upper surface finely reticulated. 
The flowers are developed in dense panicles, about 3in. or more in diameter, 
terminating the branchlets: they are arranged in threes, each flower being 
carried on a short stout pedicel, which, with the branches of the panicle, is 
clothed with a dense coat of snow-white woolly hairs; the pedicels are jointed 
to the branches of the panicle. The calyx is protected in the same manner, 
and is funnel-shaped, with five triangular teeth at its margin, which carries five 
small free scarlet petals, hairy at the back, and a dense ring of stamens with 
long scarlet filaments. The ovary is adherent with the lower part of the calyx- 
tube, and is three-celled, with a style longer than the filaments. In fruit it 
forms a woody capsule exceeding the calyx-tube, and containing numerous 
minute seeds. 
The leaves of the young plant are perfectly smooth, and closely resemble 
those of M. robusta. 
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