Biology:Hoheria populnea

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Short description: Species of flowering plant

Hoheria populnea
Lacebark flowers.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Hoheria
Species:
H. populnea
Binomial name
Hoheria populnea
A.Cunn.

Hoheria populnea, commonly known as New Zealand mallow,[1] lacebark or houhere, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, endemic to New Zealand.

Hoheria populnea is found from the coast to lowland forests, and has a natural distribution from the North Cape of the North Island, to the Bay of Plenty.[2] It can grow into a tree 12 metres tall and has broad, oval leaves, with serrated margins.[3] The leaves are dark green, 5–12 cm long and 6 cm wide.[4] Lacebark produces white flowers in clusters from January to March.[5]

The bark of the plant was used in Māori traditional textiles to create ropes, hats, kits and headbands.[6] Oral histories tell of early experiments to create felted material from the plant, similar to aute (the paper mulberry used in Polynesian textiles), however attempts were unsuccessful.[6]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q1623958 entry