Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

PŪRIRI, kauere (Williams 1971); kanieri (? Taylor) 

Nicholas (1817) ate berries of a tree, whose description fits the pūriri, which he found "very bitter and disagreeable." Considered poisonous by Māori he was with (p.217)

Heartwood, when treated with alkaline solutions produces a brilliant yellow dye (Kelly 1866).

Bark gives a brown dye, converted into a good yellow by mixing with dye from tānekaha ( Bretts Guide 1883 ; White, quoted in Aston 1918b, from ms. in Dominion Museum)

Dyeing properties investigated by Perkin 1898. Pure yellow tones obtained (See Aston 1918b)

Among Ngāpuhi, wedges made from pūriri for tree felling ( Best 1925).

Wallace 1989 found a bowl, 4 fernroot beaters, a maul, 4 paddles, an adze helve and socket, a spade blade, a kō and 2 hoto made from pūriri among museum artefacts he tested.

Timber tree. Ship's knees, piles, fencing (Colenso 1868a) (N.B. Details on colonial timber uses generally not recorded in this database).

"the New Zealand teak; the most durable of all the timber trees in this country."(Taylor 1870)

Especially suitable for making a stockade- durable, has very little sapwood, not so readily destroyed by fire as tōtara. Difficult to work. (Best 1927).

Infusion of leaves used for ulcers, especially under the ears, "keeping a rag constantly wet with the infusion." (O'Carroll 1884).

Severe inflammation caused by splinters in hands and feet (Baber, quoted in Aston 1923b). Leaves - boiled, bath sprains and backache (Adams 1945).

Related pharmacology in Brooker, Cambie and Cooper 1987.

See Riley 1994 for information on medicinal uses of related plants elsewhere in the world.

Chemical compounds listd in Cambie 1976, 1988 with references.