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Story: Conifers

Mataī seed

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Mataī seed

Seed is produced on female trees. The seed of mataī is unlike that of most other conifers, for it is enclosed in a fleshy covering and resembles a small plum when ripe.

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University of Auckland

by John Braggins

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How to cite this page

Maggy Wassilieff, Conifers – Mataī and miro: the plum pines, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/12673/matai-seed (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 1 March 2009.