Knightia excelsa, commonly known as rewarewa (from Māori), is an evergreen tree endemic to the low elevation and valley forests of New Zealand. It is found in the North Island and at the tip of the South Island in the Marlborough Sounds (41° S)[2] and the type species for the genus Knightia.[3]
| Knightia excelsa | |
|---|---|
| |
| K. excelsa in Upper Hutt | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Knightia |
| Species: | K. excelsa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Knightia excelsa | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Description
editRewarewa grows to 30 metres (100 feet) tall, with a slender crown.[4] The leaves are alternate, leathery, narrow oblong, 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) long and 2.5–3.5 cm (0.98–1.38 in) wide, and without stipules. The flowers are 2–3.5 cm (0.79–1.38 in) long, bright red, and borne in racemes 10 cm (3.9 in) long. Produces dry woody follicles.
Taxonomy
editThe species was first formally described in 1809 by Joseph Knight in the book On the cultivation of the plants belonging to the natural order of Proteeae, using the name Rymandra excelsa.[5] This was revised the following year by Robert Brown in the paper On the Proteaceae of Jussieu, who placed the species in the genus Knightia, named after Joseph Knight.[6] This remains the accepted scientific name used today.[7]
Knightia excelsa is one of only two extant members of Proteaceae found in New Zealand, alongside Toronia toru. Many other species existed in the past, but became extinct during glaciation periods.[8]
Etymology
editThe etymology (word origin) of rewarewa's genus, Knightia, is named in honour of British horticulturalist Thomas Andrew Knight. The specific epithet (second part of the scientifc name), excelsa, means 'elevated' or 'tall'.[8] The Māori language name rewarewa derives from the Proto Nuclear Polynesian term *Lewa, primarily used to describe Cerbera odollam and other members of the Cerbera genus in Polynesian languages.[9] It was called New Zealand honeysuckle by early European settlers,[8] but the name has fallen into disuse in preference for the Māori name.
Ecology
editRewarewa flower nectar is a major food source for many New Zealand native birds.[8]
Uses
editMāori cultural uses
editRewarewa is a traditional resource in Māori culture. The wood was used for posts in rivers and to create palisade walls, and it has uses in traditional waka crafting, where a slow burning trunk of the wood can be placed inside a tree to more easily hollow to hollow out the centre. The nectar is also a traditional Māori food source.[8]
Early European uses
editRewarewa trees had a bad reputation among early European settlers, who called the timber "bucket of water wood", due to its high moisture content and unsuitability as a firestarter.[8]
Modern uses
editThe rewarewa is known for its timber, which is handsomely figured for interior work although not durable in exposed situations.[10] Rewarewa honey is one of the most popular native New Zealand honey varieties.[8]
Gallery
edit-
Inflorescence of flowers -
Adult foliage -
Tree in flower
References
edit- ^ a b "Knightia excelsa (Knight) R.Br". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
- ^ Meylan, BA; BG Butterfield (1973). "Scanning Electron Micrographs of New Zealand Woods 2. Knightia excelsa R.Br". New Zealand Journal of Botany. XI: 201–12. doi:10.1080/0028825x.1973.10430273.
- ^ "Knightia". Index Nominum Genericorum. International Association for Plant Taxonomy. 9 February 1996. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
- ^ Lehnebach, Carlos A.; Meudt, Heidi (1 October 2022). Native Plants of Aotearoa. Te Papa Te Taiao Nature Series. Te Papa Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-9911509-3-6.
- ^ Knight, Joseph; Salisbury, Richard Anthony (1909), On the cultivation of the plants belonging to the natural order of Proteeae, W. Savage, p. 124, Wikidata Q6050728
- ^ Brown, Robert (March 1810). "On the natural order of plants called Proteaceae". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 10: 15–226. doi:10.1111/J.1096-3642.1810.TB00013.X. ISSN 1945-9432. Wikidata Q17016478.
- ^ "Knightia excelsa (Knight) R.Br". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Vennell, Robert (2019). The Meaning of Trees. Auckland: HarperCollins UK. pp. 238–240. ISBN 978-1-77554-130-1. LCCN 2019403535. OCLC 1088638115. OL 28714658M. Wikidata Q118646408.
- ^ "*Lewa". Te Mära Reo. Benton Family Trust. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ^ Metcalf, L. J. (Lawrence James) (2011). The cultivation of New Zealand trees and shrubs (Rev. and updated ed.). Auckland, N.Z.: Raupo. ISBN 9780143565611. OCLC 753700257.
External links
edit
Media related to Knightia excelsa at Wikimedia Commons
Works related to On the Proteaceae of Jussieu at Wikisource- The Royal Society of New Zealand (1989). "Family Proteaceae". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand (Volume 12 ed.). Wellington: The Royal Society of New Zealand. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
