Astelia

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms > Monocots >  Asparagales > Asteliaceae > Astelia

Other links:     

Plant  information

Common name:                . . .

Conservation status:  . . .

Etymology:   

Flowers:                  

Fruit:                         

Leaves:         

Stem & branches: 

Roots:         

Habit:        

• They are rhizomatous tufted perennials 

• Occasionally they are epiphytic

Habitat:   

• Generally grow in forests, swamps and amongst low alpine vegetation

Distribution:                  

• Native to various islands in the Pacific, Indian, and South Atlantic Oceans, as well as to Australia and to the southernmost tip of South America

• A significant number of the known species are endemic to New Zealand

Species:                     

• World:            S,    G

• Australia:      S,    G

Additional notes:     

• Astelia is a genus of flowering plants in the recently named family Asteliaceae

• Species

  • The genus is divided into a number of subgenera and these are further divided into sections. These contain the following species:

    • subgenus Astelia

    • section Astelia

    • Astelia alpina R.Br. - Pineapple Grass, Silver Astelia, native to eastern Australia[7]

    • Astelia alpina var. alpina

    • Astelia alpina var. novae-hollandiae Skottsb.

    • Astelia papuana Skottsb.- native to New Guinea[8]

    • Astelia linearis Hook.f.- native to North and South Islands of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia linearis var. linearis

    • Astelia linearis var. novae-zelandiae Skottsb.

    • Astelia subulata (Hook.f.) Cheesem. - native to South Island + Antipodean Islands of New Zealand[9]

    • section Palaeastelia Skottsb.

    • Astelia hemichrysa (Lam.) Kunth - native to Réunion + Mauritius

    • subgenus Asteliopsis Skottsb.

    • section Desmoneuron Skottsb.

    • Astelia solandri A.Cunn. - native to North and South Islands of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia trinervia Kirk - native to North Island and north-west South Island of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia nadeaudii Drake - native to Tahiti + Raiatea in French Polynesia

    • Astelia raiateensis J.W.Moore - see Astelia nadeaudii

    • section Isoneuron Skottsb.

    • Astelia banksii A.Cunn. - Native to North Island of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia neocaledonica Schltr. - endemic to New Caledonia.[10]

    • subgenus Collospermum Skottsb.

    • Astelia hastata Colenso - New Zealand - formerly Collospermum hastatum (Colenso) Skottsb.

    • Astelia microsperma Colenso - North Island of New Zealand - formerly Collospermum microspermum (Colenso) Skottsb.

    • Astelia montana Seem. - Fiji and Vanuatu - formerly Collospermum montanum (Seem.) Skottsb.

    • Astelia samoense (Skottsb.) Birch[5] - Samoa - formerly Collospermum samoense Skottsb.

    • Astelia spicata Colenso, formerly Collospermum spicatum (Colenso) Skottsb., would fall into this subgenus but was rejected by Birch as a species.[5]

    • subgenus Tricella Skottsb.

    • section Tricella Skottsb.

    • Astelia australiana (J.H.Willis) L.B.Moore - Tall Astelia, native to the State of Victoria in Australia[7]

    • Astelia chathamica (Skottsb.) L.B.Moore - Silver Spear, native to Chatham Islands of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia fragrans Col. - Bush Flax, Bush Lily, Kakaha, native to North and South Islands of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia graminea L.B.Moore- native to northern South Island of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia grandis Hook.f. ex Kirk- native to North and South Islands of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia nervosa Banks & Sol. ex Hook.f.- Mountain Astelia, native to North and South Islands of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia nivicola Ckn. ex Cheesem. - native to South Island of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia nivicola var. nivicola

    • Astelia nivicola var. moriceae L.B.Moore

    • Astelia petriei Ckn. - native to South Island of New Zealand[9]

    • Astelia psychrocharis F.Muell. - Kosciusko Pineapple Grass, native to Mt. Kosciusko in Australia[7]

    • Astelia skottsbergii L.B.Moore - native to north-west South Island of New Zealand[9]

    • section Periastelia Skottsb.

    • Astelia argyrocoma A.Heller ex Skottsb. - native to Kauai Island in Hawaii

    • Astelia menziesiana Sm. in A.Rees - native to Hawaii

    • Astelia rapensis Skottsb. - native to Rapa-Iti Island in French Polynesia

    • Astelia tovii F.Br. - Marquesas in French Polynesia

    • Astelia waialealae Wawra - native to Kauai Island in Hawaii

    • section Micrastelia Skottsb.

    • Astelia pumila (J.R.Forst.) Gaudich. - native to western Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Falkland Islands

Sources of information:

• (2023)