Rhabdothanmus solandri (New Zealand gloxinia, kaikaiatua).
Photo by Gregor Richardson.
It's often a misconception that Dunedin is too cold to
successfully grow some of New Zealand's North Island flora and
indeed it can be a challenge for some species. However, it is
possible to bring a North Islander to the South and have it
thrive: I'm living proof, having migrated south myself.
Another North Islander doing well here in Dunedin is the New
Zealand gloxinia, Rhabdothanmus solandri.
An under-storey shrub in coastal and lowland forests of the
North Island, and adjacent offshore islands, Rhabdothanmus
solandri often occurs beside streams. It is much more
common in the northern North Island but its natural range
extends as far south as Wellington.
The New Zealand gloxinia is an attractive shrub, up to 2m
tall, with slender leafy branchlets. Its best feature from a
gardener's point of view is the colourful flowers which it
produces over most of the year, even in cold Dunedin.
The tubular flowers are up to 2.5cm long and while usually a
shade of orange with darker stripes, the colour can range
from yellow to red.
The bird-pollinated flowers are followed by a capsule
containing many seeds.
> The only New Zealand member of the African violet
family, Gesneriaceae.
> Type specimen collected from the Bay of Islands by Allan
Cunningham in 1826 and named for Daniel Solander, a Swedish
botanist, on Cook's first voyage to New Zealand.
> Growing in the New Zealand Native Plant collection, tree
and shrub borders in the upper botanic garden.
- Shirley Stuart is curator of the Native Plant
Collection at Dunedin Botanic Garden.
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