Knightia excelsa
Knightia excelsa | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
Order: | Proteales |
Family: | Proteaceae |
Tribe: | Knightieae |
Genus: | Knightia |
Species: | K. excelsa |
Binomial name | |
Knightia excelsa | |
Synonyms | |
Knightia excelsa, commonly called rewarewa (from Māori), is an evergreen tree endemic to the low elevation and valley forests of New Zealand's North Island and Marlborough Sounds (41° S)[3] and the type species for the genus Knightia.[4]
Rewarewa grows to 30 m tall, with a slender crown. The leaves are alternate, leathery, narrow oblong, 10 – 15 cm long and 2.5 - 3.5 cm wide, and without stipules. The flowers are 2 - 3.5 cm long, bright red, and borne in racemes 10 cm long. Produces dry woody follicles.
It was called New Zealand honeysuckle by early European settlers but the name has fallen into disuse in preference for the Māori name. Rewarewa flowers are a great source for honey production.
References
- ↑ UniProt. "Species Knightia excelsa". Retrieved 28 June 2008.
- ↑ "Plant Name Details for Knightia excelsa" (HTML). International Plant Names Index (IPNI). International Organization for Plant Information (IOPI). Retrieved 28 June 2008.
- ↑ Meylan, BA; BG Butterfield (1973). "Scanning Electron Micrographs of New Zealand Woods 2. Knightia excelsa R.Br". New Zealand Journal of Botany. XI: 201–12. doi:10.1080/0028825x.1973.10430273.
- ↑ "Knightia". Index Nominum Genericorum. International Association for Plant Taxonomy. 9 February 1996. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
External links
- The Royal Society of New Zealand (1989). "Family Proteaceae". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand (Volume 12 ed.). Wellington: The Royal Society of New Zealand. Retrieved 28 June 2008.