Metrosideros
| Metrosideros | |
|---|---|
| Flowers and foliage of M. excelsa | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Subfamily: | Myrtoideae |
| Tribe: | Metrosidereae |
| Genus: | Metrosideros Banks ex Gaertn. |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Metrosideros /ˌmɛtrəˈsɪdərəs, -troʊ-/ is a genus of approximately 60 trees, shrubs, and vines in the family Myrtaceae, mostly found in the Pacific region. Most of the tree forms are small, but some are exceptionally large, the New Zealand species in particular. The name derives from the Ancient Greek metra or "heartwood" and sideron or "iron". Perhaps the best-known species are the pōhutukawa (M. excelsa), northern rātā (M. robusta) and southern rātā (M. umbellata) of New Zealand, and ʻōhiʻa lehua (M. polymorpha) from the Hawaiian Islands.