Flora of New Zealand Series

Thalamia cupressina Spreng. Syst. Veg. 3, 1826, 890.

Rimu. Red Pine.

Tree up to 35m., rarely up to 60m., trunk up to 1·5m. or more diam., bark dark brown, scaling off in thick flakes, wood dark red; branchlets slender, pend. Lvs imbricate, of juveniles 4-7 mm. or more long, 0·5-1 mm. wide, keeled, acute, linear-subulate, subfalcate, de-current; of semi-juveniles (often flowering and fruiting in this stage) ascending, incurved, c. 4 mm. long, rhomboid; of adults more appressed, 2-3 mm. long, rigid, subacute, subtrigonous. Male strobili solitary or paired, terminal 0·5-1 cm. long; apiculus ovate-acuminate. Ovules solitary, terminal on curved branchlets, ultimate lvs forming a swollen, red, succulent receptacle, or rarely dry. Carpidium embracing lower part of seed, which is about 4 mm. long, oblong-ovoid or narrow-ovoid, little compressed.

DIST.: N., S., St. Lowland and montane forest, in St. ascending to subalpine scrub.