. Plants of New Zealand. e handsomest of small trees. It usedto be common along the coast of the northern part of theNorth Island, being particularly plentiful north of Aucklandand in the neighbourhood of Gisborne. It is not found nearerWellington than Paikakariki, and in the South Island has beenseen only in the Collingwood district and near the some places this tree is called the New Zealand Mulberry,on account of the shape of the leaves. These leaves are very large, sometimes nine or ten inches inlength, heart-shaped, and with toothed margins. They are THE LIME-TREE FAMILY 243
. Plants of New Zealand. e handsomest of small trees. It usedto be common along the coast of the northern part of theNorth Island, being particularly plentiful north of Aucklandand in the neighbourhood of Gisborne. It is not found nearerWellington than Paikakariki, and in the South Island has beenseen only in the Collingwood district and near the some places this tree is called the New Zealand Mulberry,on account of the shape of the leaves. These leaves are very large, sometimes nine or ten inches inlength, heart-shaped, and with toothed margins. They are THE LIME-TREE FAMILY 243 beautifully veined, soft, and fade quickly when gathered. Theflowers are produced in large drooping clusters, and are of apure white, with crumpled petals, each single blossom beingabout an inch in diameter. The petals are pointed, and are fouror five in number. The fruit is dark-brown, and rough withlong bristles. These spines are often an inch in length. It isunfortunate tliat this beautiful tree is now becoming Fig. 74. Entelea arborescens—Flower and Frnit (3 nat. size). However, it is easily cultivated from seed, and will grow inany sheltered situation. The wood is remarkably light, and was used by the Maorisin the construction of floats for their fishing-nets, and of smallrafts. It is about half the weight of cork, and the whau issometimes, therefore, termed the cork-wood tree. Mr. suggested that it might be utilized for life-belts. 244 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND This is one of the three large-leaved trees of New Zealandthat by their foliage seem to suggest a tropical origin. Theother two are Meryta Sinclairii and Pisonia hrunoniana. Itsnearest relation is apparently Sparmannia of the Cape of GoodHope. It has been suggested that the spinous character of thefruit is probably due to the need for protection against grazinganimals, in the country whence it originally came. Perhapsthe only other New Zealand fruit similarly protected, is thenut of Sicyos austrails. I
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