Flora of New Zealand Series

Dracaena australis Forst. f. Prodr.  1786,  24.

Dracaenopsis australis (Forst. f.) Planch. in Fl. Serres Ser.  I, 6,  1850–51,  110, sub t. 569.

Ti kauka; ti kouka; ti pua; ti rakau; cabbage tree.

Type locality: Queen Charlotte Sound. Type: BM. At Ch. but doubtfully indigenous there.

Plant to 12–(20) m. tall; stem in young unbranched state 5–10 cm. diam., massive trunk of large old trees to 1.5 m. diam. and many-branched above; bark thick, rough and fissured. Lvs 30–100 × 3–6 cm., little inclined to droop at tip but bending from base when old, only slightly narrowed above base and thick and flat in narrowest part; lamina light green and very similar on both surfaces; midrib indistinct; nerves fine, equal and ± parallel. Peduncle stout, to 4 cm. diam.; panicle to 60–150 × 30–60 cm., branched to the third or fourth order, branches coming off at about right angles and well spaced; lower bracts green and foliaceous; ultimate racemes c. 10–20 cm. long, c. 2 cm. diam. with fls on; axes almost hidden by fls. Fls sweet-scented; per. c. 5–6 mm. long, white; tepals slightly keeled, free almost to base, reflexed. Stamens c. = tepals. Stigma shortly trifid. Fr. c. 4 mm. diam., globose, whitish. Seeds c. 2.5 mm. long, glossy, ± comma-shaped, deeply notched on one side. 2n = 38.

DIST.: N., S., St.

Forest margins, open places, abundant near swamps.

FL. 10–12. FT. 1–4.