timber ID

[turnerted]

G'day
I am in the process of removing a dead tree at Kiama,NSW, south coast, and I noticed that the timber looks quite interesting so I turned a bit .The tree is about 4-5 m high and the most prominent thing about it is that it has a thick mat of what I think are airial roots about 1500mm from the ground .Any suggestions of what it could be ?
Ted

[brainstrust]

nice blob of wood! is it a common tree there?

[turnerted]

I had a look round a bit of local remnant bush and couldn't see anything like it so I suspect it's exotic to Kiama .
Ted

[Kidbee]

G'day
I am in the process of removing a dead tree at Kiama,NSW, south coast, and I noticed that the timber looks quite interesting so I turned a bit .The tree is about 4-5 m high and the most prominent thing about it is that it has a thick mat of what I think are airial roots about 1500mm from the ground .Any suggestions of what it could be ?
Ted
Ted, is there any seed capsules under the tree? New Zealand Christmas bush has fine hairy aerial roots a bit like that one but that was only from a Google search.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Just a guess, as I've no familiarity with it from a woodturning perspective, is the common Ficus tree. Weeping fig.

Great indoor plant and commonly sold as such, but absolute mongrels when planted out in a backyard next to constructions. (Which is where I gained familiarity with it. :rolleyes:)

They develop similar aerial roots which, if the tree survives to any great age, can bed into the ground and merge together into what amounts to one huuuuge trunk. The bark doesn't quite look right - it's typically smooth(ish) - but how long has that tree been dead?

Perhaps not. :think:

[turnerted]

I don't think it's a ficus, but newzealand christmas tree looks a good starter after looking at google images, but no seed pods available , in fact I don't remember seeing any flowers on it .
Ted