Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Caption:

Details

Name scientific

Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Char. Gen. Pl., ed. 2. t. 24 (1776)

Preferred name

Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Taxonomy reference

Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Botany Division DSIR, Wellington.

Linked name

Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Biostatus

Origin

Occurrence

Georegion

Schema

Biostatus source

Comment

Endemic

Wild

New Zealand

Political Region

Coyne, P. (2009)

"The absence of Phormium pollen from fossilised pollen recently collected on Norfolk Island suggested to researchers that flax had been introduced to Norfolk Island by Polynesian settlers and should therefore not be regarded as native or indigenous. The lack of any recorded distribution of Phormium on Phillip Island before 1967 and its distribution there in 1978 provide evidence reinforcing this conclusion."

Endemic

Wild

Hawaiian Is.

World Geographic Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions

Smissen, R.D.; Scheele, S.M. (2022)

Nomenclature

Original authors

J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Authors

J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Publication place

Forster, J.R.; Forster, G. 1776: Characteres Generum Plantarum quas in Itinere ad Insulas Maris Australis Collegerunt, Descripserunt, Delinearunt, Annis. Edition 2. White, Cadell & Elmsley, London.

Year published

1776

Publication page

t. 24

Nomenclatural code

ICN

Basionym

Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Taxonomic rank

species

Canonical form

Phormium tenax

Classification

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Asparagales

Family

Asphodelaceae

Genus

Phormium

Species

tenax

Subordinates

Vernacular names

Language of use: English

Language of use: Māori

Descriptions

Dawson, M.I. 2008: Index of chromosome numbers of indigenous New Zealand vascular plants.

Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Description

2n = 32

Description

2n = 32

Description

n = 16

Description

2n = 32

Description

2n = 32

Description

n = 16

Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Botany Division DSIR, Wellington.

Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.

Description

Lvs 1–3 m. × 5–12 cm., stiff and ± erect, at least in lower part; butt heavy and us. brightly coloured. Infl. to 5–(6) m. tall; peduncle c. 2–3 cm. diam., us. erect, dark, terete, glab. Fls 2.5–5 cm. long, predominantly dull red; tips of inner tepals only slightly recurved. Ovary erect; carpels straight. Capsule us. < 10 cm. long, often much less, erect, trigonous, abruptly contracted to tip, not twisted, remaining firm and dark in age. Seeds c. 9–10 × 4–5 mm., ± elliptic, plate-like but ± twisted. 2n = 32.