. Plants of New Zealand. Metrosideros robusta, showing encircling roots. Genus Metrosideros. Shrubs or trees, often climbing. Leaves opposite, leathei\v. PlowersBinterminal cymes, umbels, or racemes, white, pink, or scarlet, often very 5-lobed ; petals 5, small. Stamens numerous, very long, white or scarlet.(Name from the Greek, meaning iron-liearted, in allusion to the iron-likehardness of the timber). Plants of the genus are usually known to the colonists,by the Maori name Rata. 11 sp. THE MYRTLE FAMILY 279. Fig. 89. Metrosideros hypericifolia (S nat. size) 280 PLANTS OF NEW ZEAL
. Plants of New Zealand. Metrosideros robusta, showing encircling roots. Genus Metrosideros. Shrubs or trees, often climbing. Leaves opposite, leathei\v. PlowersBinterminal cymes, umbels, or racemes, white, pink, or scarlet, often very 5-lobed ; petals 5, small. Stamens numerous, very long, white or scarlet.(Name from the Greek, meaning iron-liearted, in allusion to the iron-likehardness of the timber). Plants of the genus are usually known to the colonists,by the Maori name Rata. 11 sp. THE MYRTLE FAMILY 279. Fig. 89. Metrosideros hypericifolia (S nat. size) 280 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND Metposideros florida {The Flowery Bata). A shrub, or lofty climber. Leaves 1^ in. long, oblong, obtuse, entire,shining. Flowers in large terminal cymes. Petals yellowish, or pale pink,inconspicuous. Stamens 1 ^ in. long ; filaments orange-red to crimson,anthers golden. Fruit a woody capsule, half the length of the calyx-tube. Bothislands : common, on forest trees. Fl. Maori names : Aka,Akatawhiwhi, Pua-tawhiwhi. English name Rata-vine. The rata-vine is one of the most remarkable cHmbers of theNew Zealand forest. The stem is sometimes six inches indiameter, and climbs to the tops of the highest trees. It isoften confused with Metrosideros rohusta, but it is the latter,not the former, which strangles its support. Bushmen quench their thirst with the juice of the slit is cut in the wood, and the bark left hanging, when aclear juice drops freely from the cut. A piece of rata-wood
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectplants, bookyear1906
