NATURE NOTES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22501, 8 September 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

NATURE NOTES

' Ah uhkhoWn Mend has seftt sorfie fetvei and Mlits from AkafOtJ, - lh*ffl wire sOme samples 6t ydßb, one of tile most Mhdsome of .mfr-aar native trees. It is the only cSirtw' ef the wmm Aleetiwon. name a “engelsum,” or ptfr. Die first flame oemes from a Rattan ward meaning “a cock/’ re * amm§ te the red part, §Mho fruit Wm itflfi seen likened id a cock's S there are vet f few titoki* iuatMfefiureh.. A few have re* paMqr fleet! planted in Ritcartoh pall to repute same originally SflilHi there. A very fine sped* fwfltiMws ifl i gardea neat the I'MMtet ButiiaM street and Bealey lip Hit.- the fact mat the piaflt is unda makes it very difficult 1

m n un tess we protect Ri Winter. In the natural plant is found from. North Banks Peninsula. It does an altitude of 2000 ft, but near the sea. In coastal ees once grew as high as a trunk of nearly 3ft in but very few of. such could be found to-day. Ninon name of New Zeais an aid to identification IS22rll ,ss leaves are somewhat like iSyj-of.the English ash, The only resemblance i- that both plants

TITOKI

(By L. Wl MtCdskill)

have large Compound leaves. Those of titoki are tip to I2ih long, made up of four to sik pairs; of leaflets, each of which may be 4m in length. The margins Usually possess a few blunt, distant teeth: On the branchlets, young leaves, flowers, anairuit will he found a covering of dense fine hairs which make, the Plant appear rusty wheh young. The adult leaves lose the hairs from the upper surface.. from October to Oecember the flowers may usually be found. Individually they are email and inconspicuous, but they are produced In such masses that they make an attractive display, especially when the light shines through them. At first sight the flowers may prove

puzzling to the observer. There ate no petals ill arty of them, While some have pistils. Some stamens, and some both, it is only those flowers having Stamens that are shOWy, the colour being provided by the large dark-red anthers. The flower is succeeded by a very unusual fruit. When fully developed it is about one-third of an inch long, rusty coloured, almost woody, witn a ■ crest on the top ending in a spur on one side. As it ripens the outer case breaks open to reveal a single, black, pear-shaped seed sit*

ting ih a fiery scarlet flashy cup. This fruit takes about a year to ripen, So that it is possible to find both flowers and ripe fruits on the tree at the one tifne. ... In the early days titoki timber was highly valued for its tough, elastic properties. It was hot durable ih the ground, but it proved useful for tool handles, bullock yokes, swingle trees, and parts of agricultural implements of all kinds. After the Maoris learned the use of medicines from the white man, they soon found many uses for titoki 611 obtained from the seeds, a Strong bag Was made from Strips of flak leaves, and the seeds placed in it. The bag was heavily beaten with a club to bruise the seeds, Then a man at each end held the bag and turned in Opposite directions to press out the oil. Sometimes hot stones wefe mixed with the seeds to increase the flow. The oil was found to relieve earache. Weak eyes, sores, , bruises, and sprains. It was also a Useful medium for the extraction of scents, By soaking the crushed leaves of such plants as kanuka, taratu, . raukawa, kopuru, kohuhu, and kawakawa, a scented oil was otn tamed, This might be used for anointing the body or hair; mOre often the skin of a bird, usually a pukeko, was dipped itt this scented oil, rolled into a ball and hung from The New Zealand poet, Alfred ; Domett, must have been familiar With these points when he wrote about its ... , ~. . • . . . "Beads of jet, Each in a scarlet strawberry set, Whence sweet cosmetic oils they press i Their glittering blue-blhck hair to Or give their skin its velvet liesd.”