Libertia
Encyclopedia
Libertia is a genus
of monocotyledenous
plants in the family Iridaceae
containing 15 species in the southern hemisphere
. A number of species are endemic
to New Zealand
.
They are all perennials growing from short woody rhizome
s, with simple, linear or narrowly lanceolate basal leaves which are often green but may be red or yellow depending on the species. The showy white trimerous flowers are open in spring and are followed by capsules opening by three valves which contain the numerous black seeds.
The genus was named after Anne-Marie Libert (1782–1865), a Belgian
botanist.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of monocotyledenous
Monocotyledon
Monocotyledons, also known as monocots, are one of two major groups of flowering plants that are traditionally recognized, the other being dicotyledons, or dicots. Monocot seedlings typically have one cotyledon , in contrast to the two cotyledons typical of dicots...
plants in the family Iridaceae
Iridaceae
The Iris family or Iridaceae is a family of perennial, herbaceous and bulbous plants included in the monocot order Asparagales, taking its name from the genus Iris. Almost worldwide in distribution and one of the most important families in horticulture, it includes more than 2000 species...
containing 15 species in the southern hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
. A number of species are endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
They are all perennials growing from short woody rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s, with simple, linear or narrowly lanceolate basal leaves which are often green but may be red or yellow depending on the species. The showy white trimerous flowers are open in spring and are followed by capsules opening by three valves which contain the numerous black seeds.
The genus was named after Anne-Marie Libert (1782–1865), a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
botanist.
Species
- Libertia caerulescens, endemic to Chile
- Libertia chilensis, endemic to Chile
- Libertia cranwelliae, endemic to New Zealand
- Libertia edgariae, endemic to New Zealand
- Libertia formosaLibertia formosaLibertia formosa is an ornamental plant in the Iridaceae family. It is native to Chile. It can also be found growing wild in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where it is an introduced species.-External links:***...
, endemic to Chile and is naturalised in CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... - Libertia grandifloraLibertia grandifloraLibertia grandiflora is a flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. The species is endemic to New Zealand....
, endemic to New Zealand - Liberta ixioides, endemic to New Zealand
- Libertia micrantha, endemic to New Zealand
- Libertia mooreae, endemic to New Zealand
- Libertia paniculataLibertia paniculataLibertia paniculata is a plant in the Iridaceae family. It is endemic to Australia, where it occurs in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria....
, endemic to AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
- Branching Grass Flag - Libertia peregrinansLibertia peregrinansLibertia peregrinans is a flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. The species is native to New Zealand.-Cultivation:Libertia peregrinans is cultivated in the horticulture trade and widely available as an ornamental plant for gardens....
, endemic to New Zealand - Libertia procera
- Libertia pulchellaLibertia pulchellaLibertia pulchella is a plant in the iris family . It is native to Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia, where it occurs in New South Wales and Victoria and Tasmania. The flowering scape rises above the linear leaves producing 3 to 6 cream-coloured flowers....
, native to New Guinea, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand - Libertia sessiliflora, Chile