112 TAXACEAE, [Podocarpus. 
foliage so closely resembles that of P. totara that it is often difficult to separate the 
two plants by that character alone. The thin papery bark is, however, unmistakable. 
I fear that the shape of the fruit and the length of the peduncle of the male flower are 
subject to variation. The wood is similar to that of P. totara, but is said to be inferior 
in durability. Mr. Kirk suggests that Colenso’s P. Cunninghamii may be identical 
with P. Hallii; but the type specimen in Mr. Colenso’s herbarium appears to be 
P. totara. 
3. P. acutifolius 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi (1884) 370, t. 26.— 
An erect much-branched shrub 5-30 ft. high; branches slender, erect. 
Leaves usually rather lax, spreading 41 in. long, linear, straight, acuminate 
and pungent, sessile or nearly so, green, coriaceous; midrib indistinct ; 
margins slightly recurved. Flowers dioecious. Males 4-4 in. long, solitary 
or in fascicles of 2-4 at the top of an erect peduncle about 4in. long, each 
flower with 4 scarious acuminate bracts at its base, forming a quasi-involucre 
at the top of the peduncle. Anthers numerous, closely packed ; connective 
obtuse. Female flowers minute, axillary, solitary or very rarely geminate 
at the top of a short swollen peduncle. Fruit small, ovoid, seated on the 
enlarged and fleshy bright-red peduncle.—T. Kirk Forest Fl. (1889) t. 39; 
Pilger in Pflanzenr. 1v, 5 (1903) 84; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 649. 
Souta Istanp: Marlborough—J. Rutland! Mount Duppa, J. H. Macmahon! 
Nelson—Lake Rotoiti and upper part of the Buller Valley, 7. Kirk / T. F. C.; Hope 
Valley, 7. F. C. Westland—Lake Brunner and Franz Josef Glacier, and common 
southwards to the Cook River, Cockayne ! 
Allied to P. nivalis, but at once recognized by the erect slender habit and narrow 
pungent leaves. From P. totara it is separated by the small size, much more slender 
habit, and narrower thinner leaves. 
4. P. nivalis Hook. Ic. Plant. (1843) t. 582.—A much-branched erect 
or prostrate shrub 2-8 ft. high; branches wide-spreading, often rooting 
at the base. Leaves close-set, sessile, not distichous, spreading or recurved, 
4-2in. long, linear to linear-oblong or narrow linear-obovate, obtuse, 
apiculate, narrowed to the base, very thick and coriaceous, midrib pro- 
minent beneath, margins thickened. Flowers dioecious. Males axillary, 
solitary or 2-4 at the top of a slender peduncle, variable in length, very 
slender, +-lin. long. Anthers very numerous, often laxly placed; con- 
nective obtuse. Female flowers solitary, axillary, seated on the top of 
a short swollen peduncle. Fruit a small oblong-ovoid nut; peduncle 
much enlarged, fleshy and succulent, bright-red, usually with 2 acute pro- 
jections at the top (adnate bracts), 1 on each side of the nut.—Raoul Choix 
(1846) 41; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1 (1853) 232; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 
257; I. Kirk Forest Fl. (1889) t. 40; Pilger in Pflanzenr. iv, 5 (1903) 85 ; 
Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 649 ; Ill. N.Z. Fl. (1914) t. 186. P.montanus 
Col. mm Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii (1895) 395. 
Var. erectus Cockayne in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xlviii (1916) 199.—Erect, 4—7 ft. high, 
not prostrate. Leaves larger, sometimes nearly lin. in length. 
NortH AND SoutH Istanps: Abundant in subalpine localities from the summit 
of Moehau (Cape Colville) and Tongariro southwards to Foveaux Strait. Usually 
from 2000 to 5500 ft., but descends almost to sea-level near Okarito and elsewhere 
in Westland. Var. erectus: Nelson—Mount Owen and Mount Percival, 3000 ft., 
T. F.C. Canterbury—Cass River, Cockayne. T 
A distinct little plant. Mr. Kirk has well pointed out that it is serviceable from 
its spreading and rooting habit, which helps to bind the loose surface of steep mountain- 
slopes. 
