kauri-pine

(kou’ri-pin), x. The coniferous tree Agathis (Dammar a) australis, the finest forest tree of New Zealand. It sometimes attains the height of 180 feet, and affords a remarkably durable, straight grained timber, easily worked, and susceptible of a high polish. It is used for masts, decking, and other shipbuilding purposes, for houses, bridges, and railway-ties, for furniture, and for numerous other objects. The name kauri is sometimes extended to the other species of the genus. It appears-variously spelled as cowdt, cowdie, cowrie, kawrie, kawry, kowrie, etc. See kauri-gum, and also Dammar a.