Beilschmiedia tarairi Kirk

Tree up to 20 m. or more tall; trunk up to 1 m. diam.; bark dark brown, smooth; branchlets, young lvs, petioles and infl. branchlets densely clad in reddish brown tomentum. Lvs alt. to subopp., very coriac. on petioles 1-1·5 cm. long; lamina entire, 4-15 × 3-6 cm., glab. above, with impressed veins; ± glaucous below, with the very prominent veins clad in red-brown pubescence, surface with scattered hairs; broadly elliptic-to obovate-oblong, midrib excurrent. Panicles axillary, up to 10 cm. long, branches stout; fls 4-5 mm. diam.; bracts linear, obtuse, caducous; per. segs oblong to obovate, tomentose without. Drupe ovoid to ellipsoid, 2.5-3·5 cm. long, one-seeded; pericarp purple.

It grows in coastal and lowland forests in New Zealand. It grows from sea level to 250 m altitude. It is only slightly hardy to frost. It needs a good well-drained soil.

CAUTION: The kernels are poisonous unless properly treated. The fruit are eaten after being boiled. The water needs to be changed several times. They were traditionally steamed in an underground stone oven for up to 2 days.

Plants can be raised from seed.