| New Zealand flax | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Phormium tenax in bloom inPiha,West Auckland, New Zealand | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asphodelaceae |
| Subfamily: | Hemerocallidoideae |
| Genus: | Phormium J.R. Forst. &G. Forst. |
| Type species | |
| Phormium tenax | |
| Species | |
Phormium is agenus of two plantspecies in the familyAsphodelaceae. One species is endemic to New Zealand and the other is native to New Zealand andNorfolk Island.[1] The two species are widely known in New Zealand asflax or theirMāori nameswharariki andharakeke respectively, and elsewhere asNew Zealand flax orflax lily, but they are not closely related to the Northern Hemisphere'sflax (Linum usitatissimum), which is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and has been used by humans since 30,000 B.C.[2][3]
Monocot classification has undergone significant revision in the past decade, and recent classification systems (including theAngiosperm Phylogeny Group) have foundPhormium to be closely related to daylilies (Hemerocallis), placing it infamilyAsphodelaceae, subfamilyHemerocallidoideae.Phormium formerly belonged to thefamilyAgavaceae and many classification systems still place it there. It includes two species and manycultivars.
| Flower | Plant | Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  | Phormium colensoiHook.f. | New Zealand ( South Island, North Island) |
.jpg) | | Phormium tenaxJ.R.Forst. & G.Forst. | New Zealand and Norfolk Island. |
The genus was originally established by the GermannaturalistsJohann Reinhold Forster and his sonGeorg Forster in 1775 from specimens ofPhormium tenax collected by both Forsters and the Swedish naturalistAnders Erikson Sparrman. All of them were part of thesecond expedition of CaptainJames Cook aboard theResolution (1772–1775).[4] Thetype specimens were taken fromQueen Charlotte Sound, with additional specimens from bothNorfolk Island andNorth Island, New Zealand.[5] The namePhormium comes fromAncient Greek for a "basket", whiletenax is a Latin adjective meaning "holding fast, tenacious".[6]
Phormium is anherbaceousperennialmonocot. The tough, sword-shapedleaves grow up to 3 metres (10 ft) long and up to 125 millimetres (5 in) wide. They are usually darkish green but sometimes have coloured edges and central ribs. Cultivated varieties range from light green through pink to deep russet bronze. There are numerous variegatedcultivars with leaves marked by contrasting stripes in shades of green, red, bronze, pink and yellow.
The rigid flower stalks can be up to 5 metres (16 ft) long, projecting high above the foliage. In November (in New Zealand) they produce clumps of curving tube-likeflowers which turn bright red when mature. These produce unusually large quantities ofnectar to attract all nectar-feeding birds such as thetūī and insects. The seedpods that develop afterpollination, each contain hundreds of seeds which are later widely dispersed by the wind.
Phormium tenax occurs naturally in New Zealand andNorfolk Island, whileP. colensoi is endemic to New Zealand. Both species have been widely distributed to temperate regions of the world as economic fibre and ornamental plants.[7]
They are found mainly inswamps or low-lying areas but will grow in a variety of habitats.[8]
The two species readily interbreed and there is part considerable regional variation inPhormium colensoi.[9] Where the two species co-occur, there is localintrogression.[10]
In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number ofPhormium cultivars commercially available. The 2005-2006 edition of theRoyal Horticultural SocietyPlant Finder listed 75 cultivars. As early as the 1920s it was recognised thatploidy plays a role in some cultivars due to the work ofJohn Stuart Yeates.[11] The highly regardedsportNgaro[12] was isolated from the Moutoa swamp,Foxton.[13]
The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit for growing in UK gardens:[14]
Phormium produces long leaf fibres that have played an important role in the culture, history and economy of New Zealand. Both species have been widely distributed to temperate regions of the world as economic fibre and ornamental plants.
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