HUON PINE

huon pine, botanical name _dacrydium franklinii_, the most valuable timber tree of tasmania, a member of the order coniferae (see gymnosperms). it is a fine tree of pyramidal outline 80 to 100 ft. high, and 10 to 20 ft. in girth at the base, with slender pendulous much-divided branchlets densely covered with the minute scale-like sharply-keeled bright green leaves. it occurs in swampy localities from the upper huon river to port davey and macquarie harbour, but is less abundant than formerly owing to the demand for its timber, especially for ship-and boat-building. the wood is close-grained and easily worked.