Phil Bendle Collection:Bulbinella rossii (Ross lily)

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Genus: Bulbinella
Species: B. rossii
Binomial name: Bulbinella rossii
Synonyms: Chrysobactron rossii, Anthericum rossii
Common name: Ross lily

Bulbinella rossii is the most prominent of the subantarctic megaherbs. It is endemic to New Zealand’s Auckland and Campbell Islands. There it is widespread from sea level to the tops of the island’s mountains. Because it thrives where the ground has been disturbed, and because it is not particularly palatable to browsing animals, it is common near old human habitation sites and may form dense colonies in open herbfield and tussock grassland.
Bulbinella rossii is a large, dioecious, perennial lily, growing up to 1 m in height and with a basal diameter of 40 mm. The dark green, fleshy, strap-like leaves are 0.6–1 m long and 15–60 mm wide. The inflorescence is a cylindrical raceme up to 600 mm long. The golden yellow flowers are densely crowded, 10–14 mm in diameter, and are often flushed with orange. The ovoid seed capsule is 10 mm long, containing narrowly winged, dark brown seeds. The plant flowers from October to January and fruits from December to March.

Bulbinella rossii. also in the photograph is a New Zealand pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae)

Bulbinella rossi is depicted on the reverse of the current five dollar New Zealand banknote. The word Hoiho refers to the yellow-eyed penguin.

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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