Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

Laurus macrophylla (recorded in Taylor 1870) 

TARAIRE, tarairi (Taylor 1847). 

taraire

".. the pulp is sweet, but has too strong a taste of turpentine to be agreeable" (Taylor 1847)

Large berries eaten when boiled (Kirk, in Taylor 1855). Large, plum-like fruit, fine-looking but not very gustable. Eaten especially by children (Colenso 1868a).

Among Ngāpuhi, taraire or tawa used to make fires for hollowing out logs for canoe ( Best 1925)

Among museum artefacts he tested Wallace 1989 found a maul, an eel club, and 2 teka made of taraire

Timber of little use - light, splits easily, soon rots (Colenso 1868a).