Biology:Medinilla waterhousei
| Tagimaucia | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Melastomataceae |
| Genus: | Medinilla |
| Species: | M. waterhousei
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| Binomial name | |
| Medinilla waterhousei Seem.
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Medinilla waterhousei, commonly known as tagimaucia or tagimoucia (fj, tahng-ee-mow-theea), is a species of flowering plant in the family Melastomataceae which is endemic to the highland rainforest of the Fijian island of Taveuni. It is a liana bearing crimson and white flowers in 30 cm-long hanging clusters. It only grows at altitudes of over 600 m, flowering from October to December. The flower is the floral emblem of Fiji.[1][2] The flower is now represented on the Fiji $50 note replacing the queen.
Legend
A local romantic legend attached to the flower has it representing the tears of a young girl forbidden by her father to marry the boy of her dreams so as she wept her tears became the flower[3] hence from the phrase tagi me uci ‘ea ("cry to be like her"). The girl was said to be the daughter of a chief either Tui Cakau or Tui Lekutu.[4] This is immortalized in a popular Fijian folk song by Percy Bucknell titled Tagimoucia ga ("Such is the Tagimoucia").[4]
Etymology
Medinilla is named for José de Medinilla y Pineda, who was governor of Mauritius (then known as the Marianne Islands) in 1820.[5]
References
- ↑ Dunn, Elton. "Tagimaucia". Tropical Plants in Fiji. gardenguides.com. http://www.gardenguides.com/125390-tropical-plants-fiji.html.
- ↑ Stanley, David (2004). Moon Handbooks South Pacific. Author. pp. 788. ISBN 1-56691-411-6.
- ↑ "Fiji Facts". http://www.fiji-faqs.com/index.cfm/island/12/taveuni.html.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hao-Li Lin (2015). Vanua as Environment: Conservation, Farming, and Development in Waitabu, Fiji (PDF) (PhD thesis). University of Pittsburgh. pp. 137–9.
- ↑ Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 253
External links
- A journey to Earth's most remote flower – BBC Travel
Wikidata ☰ Q6806966 entry
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