Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Lomandroideae
Genus: Cordyline
Species: C. obtecta
Binomial name: Cordyline obtecta
Synonyms: Cordyline kaspar
Common name: Three Kings cabbage tree
Cordyline obtecta is indigenous to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. Found naturally on the Three Kings Islands (North East Island, Manawa Tawhi (Great Island), South West Island and West Island), North Island (North Cape and Murimotu Island), Poor Knights Islands (Aorangi and Tawhiti Rahi).
Cordyline obtecta is a widely branched tree up to 6 m tall. Its trunk can be solitary or multi-trunked from the base and has a rough fissured bark. The inflorescence is a broad densely flowered panicle. The white or yellowish flowers form spring and early summer and are and are sweetly scented. The glossy white to purple seeds appear in autumn and are 4 mm in diameter, with a deep notch on one side.
Derivation of name:
Cordyline - derived from the Greek word kordyle, meaning club and refers to the enlarged underground stem or rhizome.
obtecta - relates to the Latin word obtegere, meaning to conceal or cover up, alluding to the flowers that scarcely protruded beyond the leaves of the first plant described.
Photographed at Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush Reserve. Wellington.
Photo was taken June
Fruits June.
The developing fruit panicles of Cordyline obtecta January
The surface of the leaf
The rough fissured bark.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
