Re: Obscure Astelias
Well if Astelia waialealae whatsit hails from the wettest spot on earth, Tim
you'd definitely be able to give it a go. Aren't you the second wettest at
the moment?
Margaret.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jason D <jjuania@yahoo.com>
To: <theryans@xtra.co.nz>; Mediterannean Plants List
<medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2000 6:09 AM
Subject: Re: Obscure Astelias
> response embedded below...
>
> --- Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
> > Tim Longville wrote:
> > >
> > > Margaret - Quick addition to my earlier message. A
> > friend's just sent
> > > me an e-mail list of additional
> > even-greater-obscurities! - which
> > > perhaps Moira or Tim can throw some light on. (The
> > friend sent no
> > > details, merely a list of names. Given his nature,
> > I'm sure, if he'd
> > > had details, he'd have sent'em - at length!)
> > >
> > > The friend says that further species include (deep
> > breath):
> > >
> > > Aa. argyrocoma, banksii, degeneri, forbesii,
>
> A. forbesii is likely Hawaiian as Forbes has many spp.
> named after him in that archipelago.
>
> > graminea, hemichrysa,
> > > linearis, menziesiana,
>
> See above for A. menziesiana.
>
> pumila, psychrocharis (sic
> > - but perhaps a
> > > typo?), trinervia, veratroides and (wait for it:
> > is he pulling my leg?
> > > or is this a bit of genuine Maori?) waialealae!
>
> Genuine Polynesian language: Hawaiian. Waialealae
> (sp?) is the name of the wettest spot on Earth, a
> 5000-foot mountain on Kauai, whence surely this
> Astelia species must hail.
>
> cheers
> Jason
>
> > >
> > Hi Tim
> > I think we have to start with a lesson about the
> > genus. Astelia has
> > about 25 species, mostly around the Pacific, but
> > with outliers in
> > Falkland Is, Reunion and Mauritius. There are 13 NZ
> > species all endemic.
> >
> > Of the list you sent only four occur here AA
> > banksii, graminea, linearis
> > and trinerva. I have no information at all about the
> > remainder except
> > that waialealae is I am sure not related to any
> > Maori word, though it
> > does have a slight Polynesian flavour (Just possibly
> > Haiwaian maybe).
> > All for locals as it happens are listed in the
> > Gardener's Encyclopedia
> > of NZ native Plants, so presumably someone has at
> > least tried to
> > cultivate them.
> >
> > A banksii (Wharawhara) Lowland and coastal forests
> > of North Island also
> > sea cliffs. Clumps 1-2m tall of rather narrow
> > silver-green leaves, Ripe
> > berries green flushed magenta. Tolerates very dry
> > conditions and will
> > grow in sun or shade.
> >
> > A graminea Looks like a clump of grass with rather
> > leathery narrow
> > silvery-bronze leaves. Only about 40cm high a
> > groupof plants makes an
> > attractive groundcover. Also suitable for a rock
> > garden or container.
> > Found in grassy alpine areas in northern South
> > Island, it will not
> > tolerate warm humid conditions. A sunny situation
> > produces the best
> > foliage. A note says "Not widely available"
> >
> > A linearis An alpine plant of boggy places and needs
> > a moist peaty soil.
> > Its range is right through the South Island and down
> > to the Auckland
> > Isles, so should be entirely winter-hardy. It is one
> > of the smallest
> > Astelias with leaves just 10cm long. They are
> > slightly silvery and form
> > low tuft-like mats. "Limited availability"
> >
> > A trinervia (Kauri grass) Mainly in northern Kauri
> > forests, so likely
> > not to stand much frost. Green flax-like leaves
> > (flaxas in Phormium) 1-2
> > m long and suitable for dry areas in sun or shade.
> > "limited
> > availaility".
> >
> > Well, that's as far as _I_ can take you.
> >
> > Moira
> > --
> > Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
> > Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New
> > Zealand)
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products.
> http://shopping.yahoo.com/
>
