NATURE NOTES

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22895, 16 December 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

NATURE NOTES

TAUPATA (By L. W. McCaskill)

Coprosmas have been described birds are particularly tend of before in these notes. None is so taupata berries. The interesting or so useful as taupata, xnent of taupata on Kapiti Island Coprosma retusa. . Some Maoris was an important factor in making called it Naupata, others angi angi. it an efficient bird sanctuary. It is purely a coastal species found Taupata. will grow almost anynaturally on cliffs, shingle ridges, where near the coast, but require*

and sand-dunes, as far south «s Marlborough and Greymouth. T t does well elsewhere if the winter frosts are not severe. It forms a small shrub or tree, very variable in size and habit of growth. In exposed, rocky situations it may be not more than one foot high, with almost prostrate branches. In rich sandy soils with a little shelter it may develop into a round-topped tree more than 20 leet Ixigti. The leaves are remarkably handsome, thick, leathery and glossy, blunt at the tips, and with the usual prominent holes on the under surface where the veins join the midribs. There is a very handsome variety "in which the leaves are variegated. This should be in .every coastal garden. As with all coprosmas, the leaves are opposite. In this case the leaf stalks in any pair are connected at the base by a pair of short triangular stipules. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants, the stamens hanging on long anthers, easily shaken by the wind which is the pollencarrier in coprosmas. The large handsome berry is orange yellow in colour and contains the usual pair of seeds. Native berry-eating

good soil to develop best. Closely clipped it makes an excellent seaside hedge, which will resist sat* gales and spray.

ANSWERS TO CKOSSWORDAcross 1 puce. 26 hire. 5 egg. 29 pent. 7 from. SO stipple. XX eroded. 35 used. XZ pest. 38 stable. 13 node. 37 eulogist 14 imperial 39 ands. 15 acquit. 40 tale. 18 lope. 41 unkind--20 carters. 42 sell. 22 core. 43 kin. 24 snow. . 44 espy. Down. 1 panic.' 21 axis. 2 cedar. 23 rest 3 erect. 25 rib.' 4 odour. 28 hurts. 5 edit. 27 reels. 6 gap. 28 educe. 7 force. 29 proof. 8 opals. 31 tasks. 9 melon. 32 plane. 10 strew. 33 pends. 16 Q.E.D. 34 essay. 17 isle. 36 stun. 19 pool. *8 ink.