Clianthus maximus
Encyclopedia
Clianthus maximus, commonly known as Kaka beak (Kōwhai Ngutu-kākā in Māori
), is a woody legume shrub
native to New Zealand
's North Island
. It is one of two species of Clianthus (Kaka beak) and both have striking clusters of red flowers which resemble the beak of the Kākā
, a New Zealand parrot.
The species is endangered in the wild, with only 153 trees found in a 2005 survey (down from over 1000 in 1996), in the East Coast and northern Hawkes Bay regions.
William Colenso
described C. maximus in 1885, identifying it as distinct from C. puniceus
, the other Kaka beak. However Thomas Kirk reduced C. maximus to a variety of C. puniceus (C. puniceus var. maximus) in 1899. Peter Heenan reinstated C. maximus as a separate species in 2000.
Prior to the 1990s, C. maximus was rarely cultivated, most stock available for cultivation being C. puniceus (then C. puniceus var. puniceus). C. maximus is now widespread, however, and has generally replaced C. puniceus in cultivation.
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
), is a woody legume shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
native to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. It is one of two species of Clianthus (Kaka beak) and both have striking clusters of red flowers which resemble the beak of the Kākā
Kaka
The New Zealand Kaka, also known as Kākā, is a New Zealand parrot endemic to the native forests of New Zealand.-Description:...
, a New Zealand parrot.
The species is endangered in the wild, with only 153 trees found in a 2005 survey (down from over 1000 in 1996), in the East Coast and northern Hawkes Bay regions.
William Colenso
William Colenso
William Colenso was a Cornish Christian missionary to New Zealand, and also a printer, botanist, explorer and politician.-Life:Born in Penzance, Cornwall, he was the cousin of John William Colenso, Bishop of Natal...
described C. maximus in 1885, identifying it as distinct from C. puniceus
Clianthus puniceus
Clianthus puniceus, commonly known as Kaka beak , is a woody legume shrub native to New Zealand's North Island. It is one of two species of Clianthus , both of which have striking clusters of red flowers which resemble the beak of the Kākā, a New Zealand parrot...
, the other Kaka beak. However Thomas Kirk reduced C. maximus to a variety of C. puniceus (C. puniceus var. maximus) in 1899. Peter Heenan reinstated C. maximus as a separate species in 2000.
Prior to the 1990s, C. maximus was rarely cultivated, most stock available for cultivation being C. puniceus (then C. puniceus var. puniceus). C. maximus is now widespread, however, and has generally replaced C. puniceus in cultivation.
External links
- Clianthus maximus Colenso (1885), Ngā Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plant Names Database. Landcare Research, New Zealand.