Strelitzia

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Strelitzia is a genus of four species of perennial plants, native to South Africa. The genus is named after the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, birthplace of Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom. The common name of the genus is bird of paradise flower, because of a supposed resemblance of its flowers to the bird of paradise.

Related Topics:
Perennial plant - South Africa - Mecklenburg-Strelitz - Queen Charlotte - United Kingdom - Bird of paradise

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The species S. nicolai is the largest in the genus, reaching 10 m tall; the other species typically reach 2-6 m tall. The leaves are large, 30-200 cm long and 10-80 cm broad, similar to a banana leaf in appearance but with a longer petiole, and arranged strictly in two ranks to form a fan-like crown of evergreen foliage. The flowers are produced in a horizontal inflorescence emerging from a stout spathe. They are pollinated by sunbirds, which use the spathe as a perch when visiting the flowers; the weight of the bird on the spathe opens it to release the pollen onto the bird's feet, which is then deposited on the next flower it visits.

Related Topics:
Leaves - Banana - Petiole - Evergreen - Flower - Inflorescence - Pollinated - Sunbird - Pollen

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;Species

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• Strelitzia alba (syn. S. augusta) - White bird of paradise
• Strelitzia caudata - Swaziland Strelitzia, African desert banana
• Strelitzia nicolai - White, or Giant bird of paradise; Wild banana
• Strelitzia reginae (syn. S. parvifolia) - Strelitzia, Bird of paradise, or Crane lily

;Hybrids

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• S × kewensis (hybrid between S. reginae and S. augusta)