New Zealand Broom

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iNew Zealand broom
North Island Broom
North Island Broom
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Carmichaelia
R.Br. (1825)[1]
Species

See text.

New Zealand Broom, or simply Broom, is a general name for several plant species belonging to the family Fabaceae which are native to New Zealand. The formerly recognised genera of Chordospartium, Corallospartium, Notospartium, and Huttonella are now included in Carmichaelia[2].

  • Species having the cylindrical shaped leaves typically found in northern hemisphere brooms.
  • Carmichaelia stevensonii: Weeping broom or Tree broom is a distinct tree, growing up to 9 m high. It occurs only at altitude in the northeast corner of the South Island, particularly along the Clarence and Awatere Rivers.
  • Carmichaelia glabrescens: Pink broom, grows up to 10 m high. It also is restricted to growing at alitude in the Marlborough region of the South Island.
  • Species where the green branches or branchlets are flattened and take the place of leaves. The mature specimens are almost completely leafless while the juvenile form may have a few leaves.
  • Carmichaelia grandiflora: Large flowered broom. Found only on the West Coast of the South Island.
  • Carmichaelia arborea: South Island broom.
  • Carmichaelia odorata: Scented broom.
  • Carmichaelia aligera: North Island broom. Common throughout the northern part of the North Island.
  • Carmichaelia enysii: Dwarf broom. forms low clumps not more than a few centimetres high. Found south of Arthur's Pass.
  • Other notable species include:
  • Carmichaelia angustata: Leafy broom: very similar to the above species except that it usually has some leaves.
  • Carmichaelia flagelliformis: Whip broom; the stems are rounded, thin and whippy. Found from the East Cape southwards.
  • Carmichaelia crassicaule: Coral broom. Occurs in arid, stony ground on the eastern side of the Southern Alps, growing up to an altitude of 1300 m.

The European Common Broom is also well established in New Zealand; it is classed as a noxious weed because of its invasiveness.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Entry in New Zealand Plants database, Landcare Research. Retrieved 7 April 2006.
  2. ^ Taxonomy of New Zealand native legumes.. Retrieved on 2006-08-14.


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