#asteliaceae

AKA Collospermum hastatum, Funckia hastata and Astelia furfuracea. In te reo Māori kakaha, and kahakaha.

Robust tufted perennials, often in large colonies, in uplands, but also thrives in lava fields around Auckland. Frequently epiphytic - in fact one common name for the genus is 'perching lily'. On the other hand another common name for A. hastata is widow maker, precisely because of that epiphytic habit - woodsman cutting down trees in New Zealand's forests could very easily be brained by a large clump of Astelia dislodged from the upper branches.

A. hastata has rounded leaf bases that collect water in a similar way to tropical bromeliads. Roots subsequently grow up into these water reservoirs.

The flowers are an important food supply for the lesser short-tailed bat Mystacina tuberculata, one of New Zealand two species of native land mammal. The other one is also a bat, as was the third, now extinct (guess why).

AKA bush lily or kakaha, and Astelia nervosa var. sylvestris.

Another species described by William Colenso, in 1883.

The most common Astelia in New Zealand, growing from sea level to approximately 900 metres. The midribs can be red. Clumps of green flowers bloom between October and November, and develop into yellow-orange fruit.

'Stemless With conspicuous veins'. AKA Astelia cockaynei.

One of a number of species known as bush flax, found in lowland to low alpine areas from the southern parts of the North Island south to Stewart Island. Assuming it's actually the same plant - it's possible that the North Island plants are actually an undescribed species.

Many of the Astelia sp. are endemic to New Zealand (and you'll see two later) but the rest are found on various islands in the Pacific, Indian, and South Atlantic Oceans, as well as Australia and the southernmost tip of South America. They generally grow in forests, swamps and amongst low alpine vegetation; occasionally they are epiphytic. Sometimes the same species can be found growing in a swamp, and nearby as an epiphyte, in deep shade or full sun.

It has long, flexible, leathery leaves with a W-shaped crosssection that are light green and grey in colour. The flowers are light brown to red and the fruit generally orange.

Mountain Astelia is traditionally harvested from the wild as a food (the berries are quite tasty) and as a source of materials including pillow-stuffing and paper, for hat-making, and cosmetics, and is now grown as an ornamental in other parts of the world.