Phormium tenax J.R.Forster & G.Forster, Agavaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 8 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bush flax, New Zealand flax, New Zealand hemp

Spanish: lino de Nueva Zelanda, lirio de espada

Habit:  herb

Description:  "This species is a perennial rhizomatous herb (to ca 2 m tall) native to New Zealand. The stems are short and stout. The leaves are strap-like, deep green, clump forming and fibrous. The flowers are red and orange, occurring in terminal sprays" (Csurhes and Edwards, 1998; p. 122).

"Plants to 5-6 m tall. Leaves bright orange toward base, stiff, erect, at least in lower part, 100-300 cm long, 5-12 cm wide, margins entire, apex usually splitting. Inflorescences 4-5 m long, peduncles dark brown, 2-3 cm in diameter, glabrous; tepals dull red, 2.5-5 cm long. Capsules dark brown with age, erect, 3-angled, 5-10 cm long, usually falcate, abruptly constricted at apex, not twisted. Seeds elliptic, 9-10 mm long, somewhat twisted" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1350-1351).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, the species forms dense thickets, principally in gullies in mesic areas below 300 m. (Smith, Alien Plants of Hawai‘i web site).

Propagation:  Discarded plants; seed, distributed by water, wind and possibly birds; rhizomes.

Native range:  New Zealand, Norfolk Island.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 11) "On grassy slopes and cliffs by the sea". Vouchers cited: R.D. Hoogland 11236 (CANB), R.M. Laing (CHR)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced	Wester, Lyndon (1992) (p. 116)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1350-1351)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1350-1351)
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1977) (pp. 153-154) Slightly adventive.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 122) Naturalized in Victora.
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	native	Moore, L. B./ Edgar, E. (1970) (p. 52) "Abundant, especially in lowland swamps and intermittently flooded land".

Comments:  A very serious pest on St. Helena (Atlantic Ocean). Also reported to be present on Tristan de Cunha.

Additional information:
Additional online information about Phormium tenax is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Phormium tenax as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Phormium tenax may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Moore, L. B./ Edgar, E. 1970. Flora of New Zealand, vol. II: Indigenous Tracheophyta - Monocotyledons except Graminae. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. .

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Sykes, W. R. 1977. Kermadec Islands flora: an annotated checklist. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 219, Wellington. 216 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2008. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Wester, Lyndon. 1992. Origin and distribution of adventive flowering plants in Hawai‘i. In: Stone, Charles P.; Smith, Clifford W. and Tunison, J. Timothy. Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawaii: Management and Research. University of Hawaii, Cooperative National Park Research Studies Unit, Honolulu. University of Hawaii Press. .