Common Names

Snow totara.

Taxonomic notes

Syn.: P. montanus Colenso 1895 non Britton 1889; P. nivalis var. erectus Cockayne 1916 (Farjon 1998). Type locality: Mount Tongariro. Type: K, Bidwill (Allan 1961).

Description

A prostrate or semi-prostrate shrub with wide-spreading branches, sometimes almost a miniature tree. Leaves close-set, spirally arranged, erect or subpatent, rigid, coriaceous, margins thickened, linear-oblong, obtuse, midvein prominent, 0.5-1.5 cm. × 2-4 mm. Pollen cones axillary, 0.5-1.5 cm. long (on peduncle 3-5 mm. long) solitary or up to 4 per peduncle. Ovules axillary, peduncle 3 mm. long, with a receptacle of two acute, red, swollen bracts. Seeds solitary, ovoid, 3.5-5.5 mm. long, obtusely pointed, nutlike (Allan 1961, Salmon 1996). In its native habitat, there really are no remotely similar species; it is instantly recognizable.

Range

New Zealand: N and S Islands, in upper forest margins and subalpine scrub from lat. 36° 50' southwards, also in lowland forest in Westland on the South Island (Allan 1961).

Big Tree

Oldest

Dendrochronology

Ethnobotany

Observations

It is very common in the high country of Tongariro National Park, and can be seen in that area along most walks that pass through alpine shrub communities, where it is often a dominant species. These alpine shrublands are very well displayed around Ketetahi Hut on the Tongariro Crossing, at high elevations on Hauhungatahi, and on walks around Whakapapa on Ruapehu, such as the Taranaki Falls and Silica Rapids tracks.

Remarks

Subject to a fungal leaf spot disease caused by Corynelia tropica (Hood 1985).

See Also

Search for information on this species at the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network.

Paleobotany of Australia and New Zealand conifers.