Metrosideros carminea

Metrosideros carminea
Metrosideros carminea
Metrosideros carminea produces carmine-red flowers in spring
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Metrosideros
Species: M. carminea
Binomial name
Metrosideros carminea
W.R.B.Oliv.
Synonyms

Metrosideros diffusa
( Hook.f.)

Metrosideros carminea (Carmine rātā or Crimson rātā) is a forest liane or vine endemic to New Zealand. It occurs in coastal and lowland forest from Te Paki in the north of the North Island south to Mahia Peninsula and Taranaki. It is one of a number of New Zealand Metrosideros species which live out their lives as vines, unlike the northern rata ( M.robusta), which generally begins as a hemi-epiphyte and grows into a huge tree.

Contents

Description

Leaves and stems of a young specimen of M. carminea

Metrosideros carminea prefers warm moist habitats and grows up to 15 m. long or more, with the main stem several centimetres in diameter. The small, glossy, pointed leaves are thick, and often widest in the middle. The small rounded and shiny deep-green leaves have are borne on reddish new stems. Carmine rātā flowers from late winter to mid-spring, and has vibrant displays of bright red flowers in groups at the ends of the stems. The seed capsules ripen between late spring and early autumn. It climbs in the same way as ivy, sending out short adventitious roots to adhere to the trunks of host trees, penetrating and clinging to rough surfaces. The climbing shoots of juvenile plants grow rapidly and quickly extend the length of the plant. The short clinging roots usually die after about a year, so that when the vine is mature, the thick, twisted, rope-like stems hang free from the host like thick ropes.

Cultivation

This species of climbing rātā is often cultivated for its bright flowers that appear in the early spring. It is generally available from most retail nurseries in New Zealand, although most plants sold are from adult cuttings which grow into shrubs rather than climbers. Carmine Rata prefers a moist semi-shady position, sheltered from frost. There are several cultivars of M. carminea. Metrosideros ‘Red Carpet’ flowers freely in October (late spring in New Zealand). Another cultivar, Metrosideros ' Carousel' is an attractive dwarf shrub useful as a groundcover, having glossy lime-green leaves with broad gold margins and small carmine-red flowers in spring. It grows to 80cm. Metrosideros 'Ferris Wheel' has glossy deep green leaves. It bears bright carmine red flowers with golden stamens through spring. It grows to 90cm.

See also

External links

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Metrosideros — Eisenhölzer Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) Systematik Abteilung: Bedecktsamer (Magnoliophyta) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Metrosideros — ex …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Metrosideros — Flowers and foliage of M. excelsa Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae …   Wikipedia

  • Metrosideros —   Metrosideros Flores y follaje de M. excelsa …   Wikipedia Español

  • Eisenhölzer — Pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) Systematik Kerneudikotyledonen Rosiden …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Метросидерос — Метросидерос …   Википедия

  • Rata — Mit Rata bezeichnet man: einen Nebenfluss des Bug in der westlichen Ukraine und Ostpolen, siehe Rata (Fluss) eine persische Gottheit, siehe persische Mythologie ein Dorf in der Ukraine, Oblast Lwiw, Rajon Schowkwa, siehe Rata (Ort) die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Rata — may refer to the following:*Large trees of the genus Metrosideros , including ** Metrosideros robusta (Northern rātā) ** Metrosideros umbellata (Southern rātā) ** Metrosideros bartlettii (Bartlett s rātā or Cape Reinga white rātā) *Flowering… …   Wikipedia

  • Rata (desambiguación) — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda El término rata puede emplearse con alguno de los siguientes significados: Contenido 1 Zoología 2 Botánica 3 Geografía 4 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Австралийская область — (Нотогея)  одна из 6 зоогеографических и флористических областей суши Земли. Австралийская область Содержание …   Википедия

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”