| Rimu | |
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| A mature rimu in theWest Coast | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Araucariales |
| Family: | Podocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Dacrydium |
| Species: | D. cupressinum |
| Binomial name | |
| Dacrydium cupressinum | |
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| Natural range ofD. cupressinum | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Thalamia cupressinaSpreng | |
Dacrydium cupressinum, commonly known asrimu, is a large evergreenconiferous treeendemic to the forests of New Zealand. It is a member of the southernconifer group, thepodocarps.
TheMāori namerimu comes from the Polynesian termlimu which the tree's foliage were reminded of,[3] ultimately fromProto-Austronesian *limut meaning "moss".[4] The former name "red pine" has fallen out of common use.
Rimu is aconiferous tree with dark red wood that reaches a height of 35–60 m (115–197 ft), with a trunk 1.5–2 m (4.9–6.6 ft) in diameter. The bark is flaky and dark-brown in colour. In its juvenile stages the branches are thin and numerous, but as the tree grows older around three quarters of the tree becomes branchless.[5] It has a lifespan of 600–800 years, but may reach beyond 1000 in rare cases.[6]
The yellowish-green foliage varies in size and shape between the juvenile, sub-adult, and adult life stages. The leaves begin 0.4–10 mm (0.016–0.394 in) long and 0.5–0.1 mm (0.0197–0.0039 in) wide with sharp points. They are divided along an axis and roughly shaped like asickle. In sub-adults the leaves shorten to 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long, curve upward, and become diamond shaped. In adults the leaves become smaller, just 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long, and press against one-another tightly.[5]
Male and female cones, orstrobili, appear first in sub-adults but on differentmale and female trees. Male cones are 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long, rectangular shaped, and covered in a yellow pollen.Ovules appear on their own on upturning branchlets. The fruit consists of a 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long fleshy orangereceptacle and a 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long dark brown rectangular-shaped seed. Rimu is distinctive enough that it is unlikely to be misidentified except as a seedling withManoao colensoi, which have glossier, less fine leaves. It has adiploid chromosome count of 20.[5]
Rimu grows throughout New Zealand, in theNorth Island,South Island andStewart Island / Rakiura.[2] This species is common in lowland and montane forest.[2] Although the largest concentration of trees is now found on theWest Coast of the South Island, the biggest trees tend to be in mixed podocarp forest nearTaupō (e.g., Pureora, Waihaha, and Whirinaki Forests). A typical North Island habitat is in theHamilton Ecological District, whereFuscospora truncata and rimu form theoverstory. Associate ferns on theforest floor areBlechnum discolor,Blechnum filiforme,Asplenium flaccidum andHymenophyllum demissum.[7] An 800-year-old rimu tree can be seen at theŌtari-Wilton's Bush in Wellington.[8]
Māori originally used the resinous heartwood of rimu (called māpara or kāpara) for wooden items such as heru (combs) and fernroot beaters.[9][10] Historically, rimu and other native trees such askauri,mataī andtōtara were the main sources ofwood for New Zealand, including furniture and house construction. However, many of New Zealand's original stands of rimu have been destroyed, and recent government policies forbid the felling of rimu in public forests, though allowing limited logging on private land.Pinus radiata has now replaced rimu in most industries, although rimu remains popular for the production of high quality wooden furniture. There is also limited recovery of stump and root wood, from trees felled many years before, for use in making bowls and other wood turned objects.[citation needed]
The inner bark can also be used to treat burns and cuts.[11]
Although slow to establish, with a long juvenile period and fairly high moisture requirements, rimu is widely grown as an ornamental tree in New Zealand. It is attractive at all growth stages, usually quite narrow when young, then developing into a broader tree with weeping branches before finally progressing to its more upright adult form. While rimu does exhibit some variation in the wild, garden cultivars are largely unknown, except for one recent introduction, 'Charisma', which is a compact, golden-foliaged form.[citation needed]
This species plays host to the New Zealand endemic beetleAgapanthida pulchella.[12]
Authority control databases: National |
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