Astelia is a genus of flowering plants in the recently named family Asteliaceae. They are rhizomatous tufted perennials 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. The species generally grow in forests, swamps and amongst low alpine vegetation; occasionally they are epiphytic.
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 <small> R.Br.</small> - Pineapple Grass, Silver Astelia, native to eastern Australia
- Astelia alpina var. alpina
- Astelia alpina var. novae-hollandiae <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia papuana <small>Skottsb.</small>- native to New Guinea
- Astelia linearis <small>Hook.f.</small>- native to North and South Islands of New Zealand
- Astelia linearis var. linearis
- Astelia linearis var. novae-zelandiae <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia subulata <small>(Hook.f.) Cheesem.</small> - native to South Island + Antipodean Islands of New Zealand
- section Palaeastelia <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia hemichrysa <small>(Lam.) Kunth</small> - native to Réunion + Mauritius
- subgenus Asteliopsis <small>Skottsb.</small>
- section Desmoneuron <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia solandri <small>A.Cunn.</small> - native to North and South Islands of New Zealand
- Astelia trinervia <small>Kirk</small> - native to North Island and north-west South Island of New Zealand
- Astelia nadeaudii <small>Drake</small> - native to Tahiti + Raiatea in French Polynesia
- Astelia raiateensis <small>J.W.Moore</small> - see Astelia nadeaudii
- section Isoneuron <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia banksii <small>A.Cunn.</small> - Native to North Island of New Zealand
- Astelia neocaledonica <small>Schltr.</small> - endemic to New Caledonia.
- subgenus Collospermum <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia hastata <small>Colenso</small> - New Zealand - formerly Collospermum hastatum <small>(Colenso) Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia microsperma <small>Colenso</small> - North Island of New Zealand - formerly Collospermum microspermum <small>(Colenso) Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia montana <small>Seem.</small> - Fiji and Vanuatu - formerly Collospermum montanum <small>(Seem.) Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia samoense <small>(Skottsb.) Birch</small> - Samoa - formerly Collospermum samoense <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia spicata <small>Colenso</small>, formerly Collospermum spicatum <small>(Colenso) Skottsb.</small>, would fall into this subgenus but was rejected by Birch as a species.
- subgenus Tricella <small>Skottsb.</small>
- section Tricella <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia australiana <small>(J.H.Willis) L.B.Moore</small> - Tall Astelia, native to the State of Victoria in Australia
- Astelia chathamica <small>(Skottsb.) L.B.Moore</small> - Silver Spear, native to Chatham Islands of New Zealand
- Astelia fragrans <small>Col.</small> - Bush Flax, Bush Lily, Kakaha, native to North and South Islands of New Zealand
- Astelia graminea <small>L.B.Moore</small>- native to northern South Island of New Zealand
- Astelia grandis <small>Hook.f. ex Kirk</small>- native to North and South Islands of New Zealand
- Astelia nervosa <small>Banks & Sol. ex Hook.f.</small>- Mountain Astelia, native to North and South Islands of New Zealand
- Astelia nivicola <small>Ckn. ex Cheesem.</small> - native to South Island of New Zealand
- Astelia nivicola var. nivicola
- Astelia nivicola var. moriceae <small>L.B.Moore</small>
- Astelia petriei <small>Ckn.</small> - native to South Island of New Zealand
- Astelia psychrocharis <small>F.Muell.</small> - Kosciusko Pineapple Grass, native to Mt. Kosciusko in Australia
- Astelia skottsbergii <small>L.B.Moore</small> - native to north-west South Island of New Zealand
- section Periastelia <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia argyrocoma <small>A.Heller ex Skottsb.</small> - native to Kauai Island in Hawaii
- Astelia menziesiana <small>Sm. in A.Rees</small> - native to Hawaii
- Astelia rapensis <small>Skottsb.</small> - native to Rapa-Iti Island in French Polynesia
- Astelia tovii <small>F.Br.</small> - Marquesas in French Polynesia
- Astelia waialealae <small>Wawra</small> - native to Kauai Island in Hawaii
- section Micrastelia <small>Skottsb.</small>
- Astelia pumila <small>(J.R.Forst.) Gaudich.</small> - native to western Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Falkland Islands
References