Prumnopitys taxifolia

Prumnopitys taxifolia, commonly known as mataī and black pine, is a species of tree in the family Podocarpaceae. It is a dioecious evergreen conifer reaching 30 metres (100 feet) in height, with a trunk up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in diameter, typically inhabiting lowland to montane forests. It is endemic to New Zealand; its range mainly covers the North and South Islands, it also occurs on Stewart Island, but is extremely uncommon there. P. taxifolia is profoundly heteroblastic; its young form is distinct and resembles a divaricating-wiry shrub, which may last for up to 60 years. It is unknown why P. taxifolia developed this characteristic. P. taxifolia has an average lifespan of 600 years, although it may live as long as 1000 years. Prumnopitys taxifolia was first described by the British botanist Aylmer Bourke Lambert in 1832. The fruits of P. taxifolia are dispersed by fruit-eating animals (frugivores), and the tree is pollinated by the wind. It is commonly found on mountain slopes in wh......read more on Wikipedia.