Phyllocladus trichomanoides Tanekaha Celery Pine
A tree reaching 25 meters. The leaf branchlets are 2.5-7.5 cm. long and whorled. What appears to be leaves are termed cladodes, or photosynthetic branches. They are flattened and leathery. The true leaf is a minute hook-like structure at the end of the lobes of the cladodes.
The fruits are found on the edge of the cladode.
Tanekaha's branches are very supple and do not break if bent over, making the wood ideal for any function involving bending such as yacht masts and fishing rods.
North Cape to Taranaki and in the south to latitude 42.
If you wish to learn more about native plants I suggest one of these natural history books from fishpond