Libertia ixioides, commonly known as mikoikoi and the New Zealand iris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand; its range covers the North, South, and Stewart Islands. L. ixioides is commonly found in coastal to montane areas; it inhabits cliffs, gullies, ridgelines, rocky places, and the banks of rivers. A perennial herb, it reaches 900mm in height with leaves reaching 1160mm in length. It was first described by Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel in 1824. It gets its specific epithet, ixioides, after its similar resemblance to Ixia species.
Libertia ixioides is a species of perennial herb in the family Iridaceae and the subfamily Iridoideae.[1][2] It reaches 0.6 metres (2feet 0inches) in height.[3] Its leaves reach 550–1160mm×3–12mm long, they also can turn to a yellow colour when exposed to sunlight. Its margins are often finely rough (scabrid) in texture. The inflorescences (flower clusters) are tall and rise above the foliage, with long peduncles. Its panicles are broad and openly branched. Each panicle has 1 to 6 flowers with slender pedicels, which are about 10–mm long. Its bracts are 50–410mm long.[2]
Flowers are 8–15mm in diameter, with white-coloured tepals. Its stamens are found at the base, with yellow anthers which are about 2mm long. Fruits are 15–25×5–14mm long, initially green maturing to black, splitting open at maturity with often widely recurved valves. Its seeds are a bright tangerine-orange colour, 1–2mm long, and rounded or angular in character.[2]
Taxonomy
The Libertia genus was first established in 1824 by the German botanist Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel.[4]L. ixioides was first described by Sprengel in 1824. The species has had several scientific synonyms since being first described in 1824. However, taxonomic revisions of the genusLibertia, such as Blanchon et al. (2002) and Moore (1967) categorise the species binomial name as Libertia ixioides.[5][6] The inactive taxon, Libertia tricolor, has since been moved into L. ixioides.[7] In 1952, Lucy Cranwell studied the pollination of various New Zealand plant species; in her study, she mentioned Libertia pollen provides no strong similarity with any other species.[8][9]
Evolution
Goldblatt et al. (2008) hypothesised, based on DNA sequencing analysis data, that Orthrosanthus appears to be the most closely related genus to Libertia.[10] The lineage, consisting of Libertia and Orthrosanthus, appears to have split from other groups around twenty-seven million years ago, with Libertia and Orthrosanthus (or their respective ancestors) diverging from each other in the Early Miocene, likely around twenty-two million years ago. A 1980 analysis by D. C. Mildenhall of Libertia pollen from the Mid Miocene in New Zealand also supports the estimated divergence time for the genus.[11]
Etymology
The etymology (word origin) of L. ixioides's genus name, Libertia, is named in honour of the Belgian botanist and writer Marie-Anne Libert.[12][13] The specific epithet (second part of the scientific name), ixioides, refers to the species resemblance to Ixia species.[13] The species is commonly known as mikoikoi and New Zealand iris.[14]L. ixioides has several other Māori names, recorded by Herbert Williams, including: mānga-a-huripapa, tūrutu, and tūkāuki.[15][16]
Distribution
L. ixioides in its natural habitat.
Libertia ixioides is endemic to New Zealand.[17] Its range covers the North, South, and Stewart Islands.[18] Cheeseman (1906) claimed that the species is also present on the Chatham Islands, but recent assessments of Libertia dispute this, and argue that the species does not naturally occur on the Chatham Islands.[18][19] In the North Island, L. ixioides is widespread from North Cape to Wellington, except it is naturally not common in the East Cape (in the Gisborne District). L. ixioides is common throughout the South Island. L. ixioides is also present on Stewart Island.[18][20]L. ixioides's 2023 assessment in the New Zealand Threat Classification System was "Not Threatened".[21]
Habitat
Libertia grandiflora inhabits coastal to montane areas.[14] The species typically occurs in upland forests, cliffs, gullies, ridgelines, and the banks of rivers.[18]L. ixioides is often found in rocky environments, especially in the South Island.[20] It has been recorded growing epiphytically in certain locations in the North Island.[18] It occurs from sea level to 610m (2,000ft) above sea level.[19] It prefers areas with sun or partial shade.[22] It commonly coincides with various endemic New Zealand plants, such as Coprosma robusta and Phormium tenax.[18]
Ecology
Libertia species are pollinated by insects, and its seeds are likely dispersed by the wind.[23][24] A 1993 study of the diet of goats, an introduced species in New Zealand, reported that goats consumed L. ixioides specimens in moderate quantity when compared to the other studied species.[25]
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