RIBBONWOOD

Otago Witness, Issue 2589, 28 October 1903, Page 10

RIBBONWOOD

This tree belongs to tha extensive, natural order Malvaeea, the mallow, of which ■only three genera are found in Now Zealand — known as Plagianthus, Hoheria, and Hibiscus. The fir«t two are closely allied, and both names are applied to eomo of the varieties. The name ribbonwood, or lace bark, was given by the early settler from the nature of the inner bark, which is thin and tough, beautifully perforated, easily torn in strip-, and may be used for tying light parcek. Tho most common of the six varietios is Hoheria populnea. with a profusion of small whit© flowers and very variably shaped loav-s, the tree growing to a height of 20ft. H. Smcl*iri is rare, and only found in the extreme north. Plagia«thu« betuhnus is the tallest grown, attaining to a height of 70ft, commencing as a straggling bush. Plagianthus cr, as it is alfo named, Hoheria lya'li, is tho granc?-p«t of the lot, and ivhen once seen in full flower in December is not soon forgotten. It us a «mall, freely-branching tree, from 10ft to 20ft ; grows principally on tho watershed of Otago, north from Milford Sound, although it is al'o found, much dwarfor, in the hills adjoining Ettrick and Tapamii. The finest display the writer has seen of it was a good many years ago on a tour up the Makarora Valley. By the banks of the stream a fow specimens were sc-en, b.it on riping the saddle and descending from tho pass and reaching the source of the Haast River, a sight was opened- up of an expanse of lovely white blossom, riveting the attention, along the margin and on <-hingle bods iv the centre, of the purling stream, for here it run * through Mule Flat with hardly a ripple on the aurfacr. The. beauty cf tho scene was enhanced on reaching the rocky gorge further down by the brilliant scarlet of tho

rata, climbing and overtopping the stately beeches with their sombre foliage, as Well as other trees of similar habit ascending the precipitous mountain side near to the- snow level, forming a remarkable contrast, a wonderfully real vision. From the head of the Kakapo, now called Lake M'Kerrow, in 1867, the writer introduced P. lyalli to public notice, some of the flowers being nearly lin aorcss. As a rule, the mallows thrive best in moist ground, not in stagnant water, although one of our New Zealanders prefers a salt marsh. I. M. I.