Kauri is a cone-bearing tree endemic to the North Island of New Zealand North of Auckland, although at one time it was present at one time it was present in the South Island, too. Other trees of this genus are found in Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia.

A kauri may grow to a height of 37m and its trunk may be up to 4.5m in diameter. The bark is thick and flaky and the leaves are leathery.

In the nineteenth century, kauri timber was in high demand for shipbuilding and other purposes and for a time it was feared that overcuting might exterminate the species. However it has been found that the tree will regenerate from seed and plans are now proceeding to grow far more of these trees.

The tree produces a resin, or gum, which may accumulate on the bark and eventually drop to the ground. It was known as "kauri gum," and there was a large trade in this during the nineteenth century when gum diggers harvested the gum to export over seas.
Sources:
http://www.gumdiggerspark.co.nz/TheTrees.htm
http://www.kauricoast.co.nz/Feature.cfm?WPID=214
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/aa/aa0406.html

Ka"u*ri (?), n. [Native name.] (Bot.)

A lofty coniferous tree of New Zealand Agathis, or Dammara, australis), furnishing valuable timber and yielding one kind of dammar resin. [Written also kaudi, cowdie, and cowrie.]

 

© Webster 1913


Kau"ri (?), n.

(a)

Kauri resin.

(b)

By extension, any of various species of Dammara; as, the red kauri (D. lanceolata).

 

© Webster 1913.

 

© Webster 1913

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