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NZ Plants

Prumnopitys ferruginea - miro

Podocarp family: Podocarpaceae

Prumnopitys ferruginea is a tall tree with a round crown and dark green slightly curved and pointed linear leaves that are flattened into two rows especially in juvenile stages. Small, fleshy cones are formed. Initially the ovule is covered by an integument and a thin epimatium (derived from the seed scale) but after fertilisation the epimatium develops into a fleshy tissue ensheathing the ovule to the inside.  Formerly known as Podocarpus ferrugineus.
An endemic species found throughout the North and South Islands.
A small genus with two species endemic to New Zealand and eight additional species found in Australia, New Caledonia and South and Central America.
 

Vegetative characteristics

Reproductive characteristics

Adult plant form: tree up to 25 m

Pollen and ovule cones: on separate trees

Adult leaf form: narrow-linear, somewhat curved and taper to a dull point; not white on underside

Pollen cone: solitary, 5-15 mm long, 30-40 scales, on short scaly stalk

Adult leaf size: 15-25 x 2-3 mm

Ovule cone: 10-15 mm long with 1-2 fertile scales, and several sterile spoon-shaped sterile bracts, on a stalk 8-10 mm long covered by overlapping green scales

Adult leaf arrangement: singly on stem,arranged and spreading but twisted into two rows in one plane

Ovule cone position: in axils of leaves

Juvenile plant form: slender sapling, with drooping graceful stems but no interlaced branching

Ovule coverings: an inner covering (integument) and an outer covering (epimatium) ensheathing the ovule

Juvenile leaf form: flattened and spreading

Ovule pore (micropyle): directed downward

Juvenile leaf size: 20-30 mm long

Mature seed cone: up to 20 mm long;  a single seed with a hard woody seed coat (integument) enclosed in a  fleshy red covering (epimatium

Juvenile leaf arrangement: in two rows

Stem(receptacle) below seed: not fleshy


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