This page deals with the New Zealand tree. Matai is also a transliteration of the Hebrew spelling of the name Matthew.

Matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia) is an endemic New Zealand coniferous tree.

It grows up to 40 m high, with a trunk up to 2 m diameter. The leaves are linear to sickle-shaped, 10-15 mm long and 1.5-2 mm broad. The seed cones are highly modified, reduced to a central stem 3-4 cm long bearing 1-6 scales, each scale maturing berry-like, 10-15 mm long, violet-purple with a soft edible pulp covering the single seed. The seeds are dispersed by the Kereru (New Zealand Pigeon), which eats the 'berries' and passes the seeds in its droppings.

It is distinguished from the related Miro (Prumnopitys ferruginea) by the shorter, slenderer leaves and the globose violet-purple cones.

The scientific name taxifolia derives from the resemblance of the leaves to those of the yew (Taxus). In the past the species, like the other species of Prumnopitys, was often included in Podocarpus; in this species under the name Podocarpus spicatus.

External link

• Gymnosperm Database: Prumnopitys taxifolia description (http://www.botanik.uni-bonn.de/conifers/po/pr/taxifolia.htm)