Prumnopitys ferruginea

Prumnopitys ferruginea
Miro
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Podocarpaceae
Genus: Prumnopitys
Species: P. ferruginea
Binomial name
Prumnopitys ferruginea
(G. Benn. ex D. Don) de Laub.

Prumnopitys ferruginea (Miro) is an evergreen coniferous tree which is endemic to New Zealand. Before the genus Prumnopitys was distinguished, it was treated in the related genus Podocarpus as Podocarpus ferrugineus.

It grows up to 25 m high, with a trunk up to 1.3 m diameter. The leaves are linear to sickle-shaped, 15-25 mm long and 2-3 mm broad, with downcurved margins. The plants are dioecious with pollen cones being solitary while those of female plants hang from a curved, scaly stalk. The seed cones are highly modified, reduced to a central stem 2-3 cm long bearing 1-3 scales, each scale maturing berry-like, oval, about 20 mm long and 10-15 mm broad, red to purple-red with a soft edible pulp covering the single seed. The seeds are dispersed by the Kererū (New Zealand Pigeon), which eats the very conspicuous 'berries' and passes the seeds in its droppings. It is found growing on both lowland terrain and on hill slopes throughout the two main islands as well as on Stewart Island/Rakiura (47° S).

The scientific name ferruginea derives from the rusty colour of dried herbarium specimens of the leaves.

Distinguishing Miro from Matai

Miro is distinguished from the related, and (initially) very similar looking Matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia) in four aspects of its anatomy; its cones, bark, seeds and leaves.

  • Miro trees have longer, broader leaves with green undersides while those of Matai leaves are white. In addition, the leaves of Miro generally narrow to a point, whereas those of Matai are rounded, sometimes with a small point right at the very tip.
  • Miro trees have cones of some hue of red in colour while those of Matai are blue-black.
  • Miro also have relatively longer cones which are oval and red in colour.
  • Like Matai, the bark of more mature Miro trees flakes off to leave a distinctive "hammer mark pattern", but unlike Matai, the pattern is not as pronounced nor as colourful (areas from which bark flakes have recently fallen in Matai often have a striking red colour that fades over time back to brown).

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Prumnopitys ferruginea —   Miro …   Wikipedia Español

  • Prumnopitys ferruginea — Miro Miro (Prumnopitys ferruginea) Systematik Abteilung: Pinophyta Klasse: Pinopsida …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Prumnopitys ferruginea — raudonasis muturis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Podokarpinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, medieninis augalas (Prumnopitys ferruginea), paplitęs Naujojoje Zelandijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Prumnopitys ferruginea angl. miro šaltinis Valstybinės… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Prumnopitys ferruginea — noun New Zealand conifer used for lumber; the dark wood is used for interior carpentry • Syn: ↑miro, ↑black pine, ↑Podocarpus ferruginea • Hypernyms: ↑conifer, ↑coniferous tree • Member Holonyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Prumnopitys — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda ? Prumnopitys Clasificación científica …   Wikipedia Español

  • Prumnopitys — taxifolia Systematik Abteilung: Gefäßpflanzen (Tracheophyta) Unterabteilung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Prumnopitys — noun mostly dioecious evergreen conifers; leaves are softer than in Podocarpus • Syn: ↑genus Prumnopitys • Hypernyms: ↑gymnosperm genus • Member Holonyms: ↑Podocarpaceae, ↑family Podocarpaceae, ↑podocarpus family …   Useful english dictionary

  • Prumnopitys — Taxobox name = Prumnopitys image caption = foliage of P. taxifolia regnum = Plantae divisio = Pinophyta classis = Pinopsida ordo = Pinales familia = Podocarpaceae genus = Prumnopitys genus authority = Phil. subdivision ranks = Species subdivision …   Wikipedia

  • Prumnopitys taxifolia —   Matai …   Wikipedia Español

  • Prumnopitys taxifolia — Mataī ausgewachsener Mataī Systematik Abteilung: Pinophyta Klasse: Pinopsida …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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