Podocarpus totara

Podocarpus totara

Taxobox
name = Tōtara
status = LR/lc | status_system = IUCN2.3



image_width = 220px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Pinophyta
classis = Pinopsida
ordo = Pinales
familia = Podocarpaceae
genus = "Podocarpus"
species = "P. totara"
binomial = "Podocarpus totara"
binomial_authority = G.Benn. ex D.Don

"Podocarpus totara" (tōtara) is a species of podocarp endemic to New Zealand. It grows throughout the North Island and northeastern South Island in lowland, montane and lower subalpine forest at elevations of up to 600 m.

Description

The tōtara is a medium to large tree which grows slowly to around 20 to 25 m, exceptionally to 35 m; it is noted for its longevity and the great girth of its trunk. The bark peels off in papery flakes, with a purplish to golden brown hue. The sharp, dull green needle-like leaves are stiff and leathery, 2 cm long. This plant produces highly modified cones with 2 to 4 fused, fleshy berry-like juicy scales, bright red when mature. The cone contains one or two rounded seeds at the apex of the scales.

The largest known living tōtara, the Pouakani Tree, near Pureora in the central north island is over 35 meters tall and nearly 4 meters in trunk diameter at breast height. Other large trees are known in this area, while Whirinaki forest, to the East, but also on deep recent volcanc soils, has groves of very tall totora (>40m in height).

Related trees

In a classic example of Antarctic flora species-pair the tōtara is very closely related to "Podocarpus nubigenus" from South America, to the extent that if planted together, they are very difficult to distinguish. The best distinction is the grey-green tone of the leaves, compared to the slightly brighter green of "P. nubigenus".

Cultivation and uses

The wood is hard and straight-grained and very resistant to rot. Due to its durability, tōtara wood was often used for fence posts, floor pilings and railway sleepers. It is also prized for its carving properties, and was the primary wood used in Māori carving. It has been planted in the United Kingdom as north as Inverewe, Scotland [cite web | url=http://www.rhs.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/831C8FEF-445C-4FA3-8951-AA257A07F238/0/halfhardytrees.pdf | title=Podocarpus totara in the United Kingdom] .

Gallery

References

*
* New Zealand Plant Conservation Network, URL: [http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/vascular_plants/detail.asp?PlantID=1205 "Podocarpus totara"] . Accessed 6 June 2007.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Podocarpus totara — Totara Totara (Podocarpus totara) Systematik Abteilung: Nadelholzgewächse (Pinophyta) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Podocarpus totara — Totara To ta*ra, n. [Maori.] A coniferous tree ({Podocarpus totara}), next to the kauri the most valuable timber tree of New Zealand. Its hard reddish wood is used for furniture and building, esp. in wharves, bridges, etc. Also {mahogany pine}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Podocarpus totara —   Totara Podocarpus totara …   Wikipedia Español

  • Podocarpus totara — trumpalapis podokarpas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Podokarpinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, medieninis, pluoštinis augalas (Podocarpus totara), paplitęs Naujojoje Zelandijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Podocarpus totara angl. totara šaltinis… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Podocarpus totara — ID 65655 Symbol Key POTO4 Common Name totara Family Podocarpaceae Category Gymnosperm Division Coniferophyta US Nativity Cultivated, or not in the U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution N/A Growth Habit N/A …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Podocarpus totara — noun valuable timber tree of New Zealand yielding hard reddish wood used for furniture and bridges and wharves • Syn: ↑totara • Hypernyms: ↑conifer, ↑coniferous tree • Member Holonyms: ↑Podocarpus, ↑genus Podocarpus …   Useful english dictionary

  • Podocarpus totara G. Bennett ex D. Don — Symbol POTO4 Common Name totara Botanical Family Podocarpaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Tōtara — Totara Totara (Podocarpus totara) Systematik Abteilung: Nadelholzgewächse (Pinophyta) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Totara — (Podocarpus totara) Systematik Unterabteilung: Samenpflanzen (Spermatophytina) Klasse …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Podocarpus — Podocarpus …   Wikipédia en Français

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