Libertia peregrinans, 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. It also occurs on the Chatham Islands. L. peregrinans inhabits coastal to lowland areas. It typically occurs near coastal scrub, beaches, dune systems, estuaries, and river mouths. It was first described by Leonard Cockayne and Harry Allan in 1927, formerly being included in the L. ixioides taxon. Its specific epithet, peregrinans, means 'wandering'.
Libertia peregrinans is a species of perennial herb in the family Iridaceae and the subfamily Iridoideae.[1][2] It reaches 0.3 metres (1foot 0inches) in height.[3] Its leaves reach 130–700mm×3–9mm long, they also can turn to a copper colour when exposed to sunlight. Its margins are often finely rough (scabrid) in texture. The inflorescences (flower clusters) have short peduncles. Its panicles are narrow and cloesly branched. Each panicle has 1 to 7 flowers with slender pedicels, which are about 10–30mm long. Its bracts are 40–170mm long.[1]
Flowers are 10–30mm in diameter, with white-coloured tepals. Its stamens are found at the base, with yellow-brown anthers which are about 3–3.5mm long. Fruits are 6–15×4–10mm long, initially green maturing to orange yellow, or black, splitting open at maturity with often widely recurved valves. Its seeds are a bright tangerine-orange colour, 1–1.5mm long, and partially globe-shaped in character.[1][2]
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. peregrinans'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), peregrinans, means 'wandering'.[1][13] The species is commonly known as mikoikoi and New Zealand iris.[1]
Libertia peregrinans inhabits coastal to lowland areas.[1] It typically occurs near coastal scrub, beaches, dune systems, estuaries, and river mouths.[14] It can also occasionally be found inland. It grows to an altitude of 915m (3,000ft) above sea level. L. peregrinans seems to prefer gravelly, peaty, pumiceous and sandy soils.[1][17] It commonly coincides with various native New Zealand plants, such as Apodasmia similis and Gleichenia dicarpa.[14]
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