CORDYLINE AUSTRALIS, Hook. f. 
THE TI-KOUKA. 
Orper—LILIACE#, 
(Plate CXLI.) 
Tuis grand palm-lily is commonly termed ‘ti,’ or, as Mr. Colenso states, 
erly ti-kouka, “ti” being a kind of generic name applied to the different 
es of Cordyline: it is sometimes termed simply ‘‘ kouka.’’ The Ven. Arch- 
on W. L. Williams informs me that it is termed ‘‘ kauka”’ or ‘‘ whanaka’”’ 
the East Cape Natives. Settlers and bushmen generally apply the unmean- 
‘name of “ cabbage-tree.” 
> it is almost the only plant in the New Zealand flora that gives a distinctive 
character to the scenery: when growing on river-banks or on the margins of 
boggy woods, or on islands in large lakes, it gives a peculiar palmy feature 
to the landscape, which is unique and attractive, and affords different effects at 
different seasons of the year: it is most light and eraceful when the huge many- 
branched panicles of fragrant whitish flowers are fully expanded, and is scarcely 
less attractive when the panicles have become compact and drooping from the 
weight of myriads of milk-white spherical berries. It is one of the most gigantic 
plants of the order to which it belongs: specimens from 30ft. to 4oft. high are com- 
mon, but in the King-country I observed several specimens 6oft. high, with trunks 
wards of sft. in diameter at the base. In an account of Mr. Colenso’s early 
botanical journeys in the central portion of the North Island he mentions a large 
men in the trunk of which a Patea Maori had constructed a small room in 
ch to keep his baskets and tools: it was fitted with a door, and sufficiently 
. to allow a man to stand upright within it: the tree was living, and was 
gin. in girth at the base. Young plants up to toft. high have a simple 
erect stem, with entire leaves 2ft. long or more, and from din. to Tin. in width: 
the stem remains simple until the first panicle of flowers is developed at the 
apex, when one or more branches are given off, which are ultimately terminated 
by panicles, and again give rise to new branches: this is repeated until a com- 
pact round-headed tree is formed, with a naked trunk; or long branches may be 
given off irregularly from a few feet above the ground. At first these branches 
eatry a large head of spreading green leaves, each leaf being 13ft. to 2ft. or more 
in length, and from tdin. to 2in. broad, contracted just above the broad base 
by which it is attached: the leaf is flat, with numerous fine parallel veins but 
no distinct mid-rib, and is narrowed into a sharp point: ultimately the lower 
part of the stem is sheathed by the pendulous dead leaves, which in sheltered 
places are persistent for seven or eight years or more. 
a The flowers are produced in large terminal panicles, tft. to 2ft. in diameter, 
with densely-crowded branches bearing thousands of flowers: each branch 
springs from the axil of a green leaf-like bract, and the flowers, which are carried 
on short pedicels, are protected at the base by three small chaffy-looking leaves 
c bracteoles, which form a cup; they are usually one-nerved, but sometimes the 
a 
vest is two-nerved. The perianth is bell-shaped, and about }in. in diameter 
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