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NZ Plants

Knightia excelsa - rewarewa, honeysuckle

Protea family: Proteaceae

  • Branch

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  • Stem

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  • Stem hairs

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  • Leaf, upper Leaf surface

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  • Leaf tooth

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  • Leaf, lower Leaf surface

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  • Leaf hairs

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  • Flower arrangement

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  • Flower opening: The first separation of the tepals is at the base of the flower

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  • Flower opening: tepals also separate at the tip of the flower to expose the tips of stamen anthers

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  • Flower opening: anthers elongate as pollen sacs enlarge

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  • Flower opening: the tepals curl down the length of the flower exposing the elongated anthers which adhere to the stigmas

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  • Flower opening: The separating tepals pull the attached anthers off of stigma, leaving pollen

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  • Flower opening: tepals and attached anthers with pollen deposits on the stigma

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  • Flower opening: Continued separation of tepals with attached anthers

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  • Stigma with deposits of pollen

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  • Flower opening: The separating sepals with the anthers reach the bottom of the flower

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  • Flower, nectaries at the base of the ovary

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  • Nectaries

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  • Young fruits, elongating and enlarging ovary

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  • Mature, open fruit with winged seed

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Knightia excelsa is a tree with a distinctive slender tapering shape. The young branches and leaves have a felt-like covering of reddish hairs. Leaves are very leathery and are long, narrow and pointed with toothed margins. Juvenile specimens have thinner and more narrow leaves. Named after the English horticulturist Joseph Knight (1778-1855).

An endemic genus with one species. Found throughout the North Island and the upper portion of the South Island.

More on rewarewa: Takana Newsletter

 

Vegetative characteristics

Reproductive characteristics

Plant form: tree up to 30 m

Arrangement of parts: symmetric

Leaf form: undivided, linear, oblong

Flower size: 5-6 mm diam. x 30 mm long

Leaf size: 100-150 mm, juvenile 100-250 mm

Tepals (sepals indistinguishable from petals): 4, red

Leaf arrangement: Singly along stem

Sexuality: bisexual

Leaf attachment:

Stamens: 4

Leaf margin: toothed

Ovary: above petals

Leaf surface: hairs

Fruit: dry


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