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Prumnopitys ferruginea, commonly called 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 1m diameter. The leaves are linear to sickle-shaped, 15–25 mm long and 2–3 mm broad, with down-curved 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 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).

Description
Miro is a large evergreen coniferous tree. It is one of New Zealand's podocarp hardwood trees, which has a lineage that can be traced back to Gondwana times.

Miro grows between 16-30m tall, with a trunk up to 1m in diameter. When mature it has a tall clear trunk and a rounded crown. Bark is grey-brown and separates off in round flakes leaving what appears 'hammer marks'. Foliage is dark green. Flattened leaves are narrow and curved are arranged in two rows in one plane which has a fern-like appearance. The leaves are 1.5cm long, and produced a strong smell when crushed. The hard stone seeds are incased in the yellow-fleshed fruit berries which are pinkish-purple coloured and of oblong shape up to 2cm.

Etymology
The name Prumnopitys is thought to mean "plum-fruited pine". The species name ferruginea means 'rust-coloured' from the appearance of the dried herbarium specimens. The Māori name was toromiro, which links this tree to other carving woods of the pacific. Miro can also mean 'to twist'.

Distribution
Miro is widespread in lowland forests throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands, except for the Canterbury Plains. It occurs upto 1000m elevation. It is common on the western side and in the southern portion of the south island and is a common tree in Stewart Island forests. Miro can be found growing wherever Rimu grows, on similar soils with the same accomanying trees.

Life Cycle:
Miro reaches its maximum growth rate at 150 years, the oldest known individual is is 567 years old. Miro is a dioecious species, with the sexes on separate trees. Miro has a long reproductive cycle (when compared with other conifers). The visible stages of ovule and seed development occur over two growing seasons with fertilisation occurring 12 months or more after pollination. The male strobili (pollen cones) are 5-15mm long and are produced from the axillary leaves. Female ovules are 10mm or less and are produced on short branchlets. Miro is wind pollinated, while the seeds are dispersed by Kereru. Podocarp cones are extremely modified and look more like berries; these are attractive to birds which help to spread the seeds. Only female trees produce the fruit. With the fruit/ berries taking more than 12 months to ripen, generally occurring around July- August. The fleshy fruits are purplish-red and covered with a whitish, waxy bloom. They are about 2cm long with a slightly pointed tip.

Interactions:
Miro prefers moist and well drained soils. Exceptional specimens have been found to grow in the deep pumice soils of the central north island. The fruits are a favoured food by the NZ pigeon, Kereru, which will gorge itself on them until they can hardly fly. The fruits have a turpentine-like flavour which makes the feasting birds incredibly thirsty. Forests with a steady supply of fruiting Miro were valued very highly and known as whenuapua or fruit-land. Berries were a food source for humans, kereru and kiore. Berries were used in various traps to catch kereru and kiore. Kākā and Kākāpō while eating the berries, chew and destroy the seeds.

Insects associated with Miro are: Sinclair's longhorn and pallid longhorn beetles, caterpillars of both the 'Miro leafminer moth' and 'miro litter moth' as well as maggots of three 'miro gall flies' which are known to cause large galls on the buds. In North Island localities cryptaspasma has been observed feeding on Miro seeds.

Timber:
Miro timber is hard, and straight-grained. The timber was not as highly regarded as Matai or Totara. In the past it was used for building houses, house beams, flooring, weatherboards and furniture. The timber has a similar appearance and properties to Rimu. Known as brown pine to early European settlers, it was valued as one of the strongest native pine. Settlers used its timber for marine pilings, house framing, floors and weatherboards.

Further Information:
The gum exuded from the trunk and branches has medicinal value. It can be used as an insecticide and antiseptic. Bushmen would apply it to chapped hands and feet.

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. Fine, flat, feathery foliage.
 * 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).
 * Miro will ooze a resin when the bark receives injury.
 * A way of distinguishing Miro from Matai is by looking at the underside of the leaves. Miro has a pale green underneath, whereas Matai is whitish underneath.