Dacrydium cupressinum

Dacrydium cupressinum, commonly known as rimu, is a species of tree in the family Podocarpaceae. It is a dioecious evergreen conifer, reaching heights of up to 60 metres (200 feet), and can have a stout trunk up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in diameter. It is endemic to New Zealand; its range covers the North, South, and Stewart Islands, and it typically inhabits lowland to montane forests. D. cupressinum has an estimated lifespan of 600–800 years, although it may live as long as 1,200 years.

D. cupressinum grows in an erect (sometimes forked), and usually a monopodial manner. D. cupressinum is a tall species emerging above the main canopy, usually at about 35 m (115 ft) in height. D. cupressinum was first described in 1786 by Daniel Solander and was later given a full description in 1803 by Aylmer Lambert. D. cupressinum's fruits are consumed by various birds such as: bellbirds, kererū, and the tūī. Its fruits also provide an important source of food and vitamins for the endemic flightless parrot, the kākāpō, which will only mate during years of heavy fruiting. D. cupressinum serves as a host for numerous vascular epiphytes, which are plants that grow on other plants. D. cupressinum's ovules are pollinated by the wind, and its seeds are later dispersed by gravity and frugivory.

In Māori culture, D. cupressinum is of great importance. D. cupressinum had several medicinal purposes for Māori, and the British missionary, Richard Taylor, described the fruit as "much prized" by the natives. In 1773, the British explorer, James Cook, brewed the first native beer at Tamatea / Dusky Sound, extracting the young tips of D. cupressinum's branches, to create beer. D. cupressinum was once the most harvested timber in New Zealand, being used for: flooring, furniture-making, wagon building, and other uses, before protection from logging under law. D. cupressinum's conservation status was assessed by the IUCN Red List in 2013 as "Least Concern", and its population trend was assessed as "Stable".