Clianthus puniceus

Species of legume

Clianthus puniceus, common name kaka beak (Kōwhai Ngutu kākā in Māori), is a species of flowering plant in the genus Clianthus of the legume family Fabaceae, native to New Zealand's North Island.

Clianthus puniceus is an evergreen shrub, one of two species of Clianthus, both of which have striking clusters of red, tubular flowers resembling the beak of the kākā, a New Zealand parrot. The plant is also known as parrot's beak, parrot's bill and lobster claw. There is also a variety with white to creamy coloured flowers. Not only does the species have striking red flowers, but it also has foliage which are often similar to those seen on tourist souvenirs and exemplify the New Zealand flora. The species can grow up to 3 meters tall, but generally grows to around with spreading branches producing leaf stalks up to long bearing 10 15 pairs of oblong leaflets. Not to be confused with C. maximus that has glossy leaves, the leaves of C. puniceus are matte, due to its cuticle having a dense reticulum of buttressed ridges on the adaxial surface. It has pinnate leaves, and 6–8 cm long raceme flowers. Populations of Clianthus puniceus in the wild are rare and are only composed of a few plants. They can be found on cliffs, bluffs, or margins of bodies of water.

Clianthus puniceus are perfect flowers with a superior ovary and 10 stamens. Indirect evidence suggests that seeds can remain viable in soil for at least 29 years, but this evidence in inconclusive. Specifically, a distinctive feature of the C. puniceus fruit includes a very thick mesocarp that can have up to 36 layers of parenchyma cells. As well, long fibres that are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the fruit average to 0.86 mm which can also be distinctive. Secondly, C. puniceus is also a host to Epiphyas postvittana, which is also known as the light brown apple moth. It is native to Australia and was distributed to New Zealand in the 1800s. The moth has the ability to damage the host, and have a negative environmental impact outside of its native area. However, it is cultivated in the UK, where it has given rise to several cultivars. Both the species and the cultivar 'Roseus' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017).