maire

n.

a Maori name applied to three kindsof trees; viz.

1) Santalum cunninghamii, Hook., a sandal-wood;

2) Olea of various species (formerly Fusanus);

3) Eugenia maire, A. Cunn., native box-wood, but nowusually confined to N.O. Santalaceae.

1835. W. Yate, `Some Account of New Zealand,' p. 41:

«Mairi – – a tree of the Podocarpus species.»

1883. J. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand, pp. 132-33:

«Maire – – a small tree ten to fifteen feet high, six to eightinches in diameter; wood hard, close-grained, heavy, used byMaoris in the manufacture of war implements. Has been used asa substitute for box by wood-engravers. Black maire, N.O. Jasmineae;also Maire-rau-nui, OleaCunninghamii. Hook., fil., Black M., forty to fifty feethigh, three to four feet in diameter, timber close-grained,heavy, and very durable.»