Species

Phormium cookianum subsp. cookianum

Etymology

Phormium: basket or basketwork
cookianum: after Captain Cook

Common Name(s)

Mountain flax, wharariki

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Phormium cookianum Le Jol. subsp. cookianum

Family

Xanthorrhoeaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

PHOCOL

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Monocotyledonous Herbs

Synonyms

Phormium cookianum Le Jol., Phormium colensoi Hook.f., P. forsterianum nom. nud.

Distribution

Endemic. Scarce in North Island where only known from high alpine situations in the Tararua Ranges, and possible elsewhere within the central axial ranges. Common in the South Island, in subalpine/alpine situations.

Habitat

Strictly confined to subalpine, alpine situations.

Features

Stout liliaceous herb, 0.6-1(-2) m tall. Leaves numerous, arising from fan-like bases. Individual leaves "paddle-shaped", erect, stiff, rarely decurved or pendulous 0.6-1(-1.5) x 20-80 mm, glaucous. Lamina margin, entire, somewhat thickened and distinctly pigmented by a dark, rather broad often encircling band 3-5 mm wide. Inflorescence (0.8-)1(-2) m tall, somewhat woody and fleshy when fresh, long persistent, drying charcoal grey or black, with the fibrous interior becoming progressively more exposed. Peduncle 20-30 mm diam., inclined, dark red-green, glabrous. Flowers 25-40 mm long, tubular, dull pink or yellow; tips of inner tepals markedly recurved. Ovary erect. Capsules 100-120 mm long, dark green, trigonous in cross-section, pendulous, tapering toward tip, twisted, initially fleshy becoming papery with age, long persistent. Seeds 8-10 x 4-5 mm, black, elliptic, flat and plate-like, margins frilled or twisted.

Similar Taxa

Distinguished from Phormium tenax by the pendulous, twisted capsules. Differing from subsp. hookeri by the much shorter, broader, erect leaves which have a dark coloured band extending in from the leaf lamina some 3-5 mm, and often encircling the entire leaf blade. Ecologically subsp. cookianum seems to be confined to subalpine alpine habitats, where it mainly grows in seepages, along stream sides or on the margins of bogs. Occasionally it is sympatric with subsp. hookeri.

Flowering

(September-) October-November (-January)

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,Yellow

Fruiting

(November-) December (-March)

Propagation Technique

Very easy from fresh seed. Most commonly grown by the division of rooted fans from established plants. Slow to establish and slow growing.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 32

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Uncommon in cultivation.

This page last updated on 4 Jan 2014