METROSIDEROS (from ttirpu, the heart of a tree, and Granpoc, iron), a genus of plants belonging to the natural order Myrtacem, so named because of the hardness of their inner woods. M. lucida, a beautiful tree, occurs as far south as Auckland Islands, in lat. 50r S. M. polymorpha, a tree of the Sandwich Islands, is said to be the plant from which are made the clubs and other weapons employed in warfare by the South Sea Islanders. M. vera, of China ? 'Java, and Amboyna, is said to furnish the iron-woad of China. It grows among rocks. M. diffusa is a tree of New Zealand. The Aki or lignum vitro of New Zealand, the Rata and the Pohurucawa of the same country, all belong to this genus. M. buxifolia, Allan Cunningham, is the Aki, a rambling shrub adhering to trees, and climbing by means of its lateral roots to the summits of the loftiest trees in the forests of Wangaroa and the Bay of Islands. Dr. Roxburgh
described (ii. p. 477) M. comosa, M. linearis, M. sessile, and M. vera.
Metrosideros totnentosa, A. Cunningham, is the Pohurucawa of New Zealand, a timber tree of the rocky shores of New Zealand and North Island, growing to 80 feet in height, with a stout, short trunk; timber suitable for framework in ship-building, for jetties, docks, sills.
Metrosideros vera, Bumph., a tree of Am boyna and Java. Flower small, white. The Chinese and Japanese value the wood of this tree, which they apply to many purposes. as the making of rudders, anchors, etc., for their ships and boats. The bark is used in Japan as a remedy in mucous discharges, diarrhoea, and dysentery. It is usually mixed with some aromatic, as Penang cloves or nutmeg.—Roxb. ; Voigi ; Von Mueller ; Hogg ; Eng. Cyc.