Clianthus

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Kakabeak
Kakabeak leaves and flowers
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Clade: Inverted repeat-lacking clade
Tribe: Galegeae
Subtribe: Astragalinae
Genus: Clianthus
Sol. ex Lindl. (1834 publ. 1835)[1]
Type species
Clianthus puniceus
(G. Don) Sol. ex Lindl.
Species[2]
Synonyms[2]
  • Donia G.Don & D.Don (1832), nom. illeg.
  • Eremocharis R.Br. (1849)

Clianthus, commonly known as kakabeak (kōwhai ngutukākā in

kākā, a New Zealand parrot. The plants are also known as parrot's beak, parrot's bill and lobster claw – all references to the distinctive flowers. There is also a variety with white to creamy coloured flowers called: "Albus," and a variety with rosy pink flowers called: "Roseus."[3]

Description and taxonomy

Kakabeak grows to around two metres high, with spreading branches producing leaf stalks up to 15 cm long bearing several pairs of small leaflets. They usually flower from spring through to early summer, but can flower twice a year or even year round.[4]

Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander collected specimens of Clianthus in 1769 and C. puniceus was described in 1835. William Colenso identified two species of Clianthus as early as 1847 and described C. maximus in 1885. However Thomas Kirk reduced C. maximus to a variety of C. puniceus in 1899. Peter Heenan reinstated C. maximus as a separate species in 2000.[5]

Clianthus forms a

kowhai.[7] The floral emblem of South Australia,[8] Swainsona formosa
, formerly Clianthus dampieri, is similar.

History

Clianthus was traditionally cultivated by the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki people. The plants were used for nitrogen fixation of the kūmara plantations on Motukaraka Island, and the flowers for elaborate garlands for high-ranking women.[9]

Kakabeak featured on New Zealand's definitive stamps from 1960 to 1969, initially on the pre-decimal 2d stamp, and then on its replacement 2c stamp from 1967.

The two species are the critically endangered

East Cape region.[10] C. maximus is widely grown as a garden plant in New Zealand, but the cultivated lines are descended from only a few plants and are not genetically diverse. C. puniceus is cultivated and has given rise to award-winning cultivars
.

Gallery

  • Botanical illustration from Cook's first voyage
    Botanical illustration from Cook's first voyage
  • Variety with white flowers known as "Albus."
    Variety with white flowers known as "Albus."

References

  1. ^ Entry in New Zealand Plants database, Landcare Research. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Clianthus Sol. ex Lindl. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. ISBN 1869620437
    . Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  4. ISBN 0-670-87782-4
  5. S2CID 84497558
    .
  6. PMID 10487821
    .
  7. ^ Taxonomy of New Zealand Native Legumes. Retrieved 7 April 2006.
  8. ^ "South Australia Flags & Emblems".
  9. OCLC 1135039710
    .
  10. ^ Wild kakabeak close to extinction, New Zealand Biodiversity, 23 December 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2008.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clianthus&oldid=1218727929"