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  4. Prumnopitys taxifolia

Prumnopitys taxifolia

Kowhai Bush, Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 26/02/2014, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Matai at Rotopounamu.<br>Photographer: Nicholas J. D. Singers, Licence: All rights reserved.
Photo of tree bark.<br>Photographer: Department of Conservation, Licence: Public domain.
Whirinaki, May.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Upper Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 09/11/2005, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Upper Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 09/11/2005, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Upper Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 09/11/2005, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Cones of Prumnopitys taxifolia (male).<br>Photographer: Wayne Bennett, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Seedlings of Prumnopitys taxifolia.<br>Photographer: Wayne Bennett, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Prumnopitys taxifolia (Matai) at Kaniwhaniwha.<br>Photographer: Wayne Bennett, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Trunk of Prumnopitys taxifolia.<br>Photographer: Wayne Bennett, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Fruit of Prumnopitys taxifolia.<br>Photographer: Wayne Bennett, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Prumnopitys taxifolia (right) and P. ferruginea (left).<br>Photographer: John Barkla, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Matai with female cones.<br>Photographer: Bill Clarkson, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Prumnopitys taxifolia.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Prumnopitys taxifolia.<br>Photographer: Mike Thorsen, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Seedling. Kowhai Bush, Wairarapa.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 26/02/2014, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Bark detail, Otatara, Southland.<br>Photographer: Jesse Bythell, Date taken: 18/04/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Fallen fruit and seedlings on the forest floor, Hokonui Hills, Southland.<br>Photographer: Jesse Bythell, Date taken: 28/03/2018, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common name

mataī, black pine

Synonyms

Dacrydium taxifolium Banks et Solander ex D.Don in Lamb., Dacrydium mai A.Cunn., D. mayi Houtte. ex Gord., Podocarpus matai Lamb. Ex Hook.f., Prumnopitys spicata Kent in Veitch, Stachycarpus spicatus (Mirbel) Masters, Podocarpus taxifolia

Family

Podocarpaceae

Authority

Prumnopitys taxifolia (D.Don) de Laub.

Flora category

Vascular – Native

Endemic taxon

Yes

Endemic genus

No

Endemic family

No

Structural class

Trees & Shrubs - Gymnosperms

NVS code

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

PRUTAX

Chromosome number

2n = 38

Current conservation status

  • Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017

The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.

2012 | Not Threatened

Previous conservation statuses

2009 | Not Threatened

2004 | Not Threatened

Distribution

Endemic. North, South and Stewart Islands. Uncommon on Stewart Island.

Habitat

Lowland forest. Often in drier climates, where it can dominate alluvial soils which are waterlogged/flooded in winter and dry in summer. Seems to prefer base-rich substrates and soils.

Features

Dioecious conifer 25(-30) m tall. Trunk 1-2 m diam. Bark dark brown (almost black), falling in thick circular flakes, leaving a distinctive hammer-like scar patterning on trunk. Wood dark brown to rich yellow-brown, very hard. Juveniles filiramulate, with distinctive, dark brown, slender, flexuous, divarciating branchlets. Leaves brown, pale yellow, or dirty white, 5-10 x 1-2 mm, linear-lanceolate, apex acute; adults dark green, somewhat glaucous above, glaucous below, 10-15 x 1-2 mm, subdistichous, linear, straight to subfalcate, obtuse, often apiculate. Male cones (strobili) in spikes, 30-50 mm long, with 10-30 cones per spike. Ovules on short axillary branches, 3-10 per 40 mm long spike. Fruit a fleshy, oily, aromatic, terpene-tasting, purple-black drupe with a glaucous bloom. Stone more or less circular (5.5-)6-8.5 mm diam., surface dull to semi-glossy, pale orange-yellow to light orange-yellow.

Similar taxa

Easily recognised by the distinctive filiramulate divaricating juvenile to subadult growth form, charcoal grey hammered bark, dark green to glaucous adult foliage, spicate male cones, and by the ovoid, plum-coloured drupes.

Flowering

(October-) November - February

Flower colours

No flowers

Fruiting

Fruits take 12-18 months to mature. Ripe fruits may be found throughout the year.

Propagation technique

Easily grown from fresh seed. Seed may take up to 2 years to germinate Can be grown from hard-wood cuttings but rather slow to strike.

Threats

Not Threatened, although as a forest-type it has been greatly reduced through widespread logging. Very few intact examples of matai-dominated forest remain in the country.

Etymology

prumnopitys: From the Greek prymnos ‘hindmost’ or ‘stern’ and pitys ‘pine’, referring to the location of the resin duct

Where To Buy

Commonly cultivated and frequently sold by most commercial nurseries and outlets - usually from plants raised from seed, however some nurseries stock cutting grown plants raised from adult foliage, thus bypassing the filiramulate, divaricating juvenile growth-form. A very popular garden tree.

Cultural Use

Gum from the trunk is the basis for “Matai Beer”, a deep, rich brew still made in some parts of the country. The dark, hard, durable timber is much sought after for floors and furniture.

Attribution

Prepared by P.J. de Lange for NZPCN, 3 February 2006. Description based on Allan (1961)

References and further reading

Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Government Printer, Wellington

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Prumnopitys taxifolia Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/prumnopitys-taxifolia/ (Date website was queried)

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