Carmichaelia is a genus of 24 plant species belonging to Fabaceae, the legume family. All but one species are native to New Zealand; the exception, Carmichaelia exsul, is native to Lord Howe Island and presumably dispersed there from New Zealand. The formerly recognised generaChordospartium, Corallospartium, Notospartium and Huttonella are now all included in Carmichaelia. The genera Carmichaelia, Clianthus, Montigena and Swainsona comprise the clade Carmichaelinae. Carmichaelia is named after Captain Dugald Carmichael, a Scottish army officer and botanist who studied New Zealand plants. Carmichaelia ranges in form from trees to prostrate species a few centimetres high. Mature plants are usually leafless, their leaves replaced by stipules which have fused into scales. Carmichaelia species are found throughout New Zealand, although the eastern South Island has 15 species endemic to it. Most species have a restricted range within New Zealand. They colonise disturbed ground in shallow, poor soils, drought- and frost-prone areas, and alluvial soils. The New Zealand brooms are not closely related to the European common broomCytisus scoparius.Common broom has been introduced to New Zealand, where it is sometimes known as Scotch broom to distinguish it from native species and is classed as a noxious weed because of its invasiveness.
Species
Carmichaelia includes the following species:
Carmichaelia aligera G. Simpson – North Island broom; common throughout the northern part of the North Island.
Carmichaelia crassicaulis Hook.f. – coral broom; occurs in arid, stony ground on the eastern side of the Southern Alps, growing up to an altitude of 1300 m.
Carmichaelia cunninghamii Raoul
Carmichaelia curta Petrie
Carmichaelia egmontiana G. Simpson
Carmichaelia enysii – dwarf broom; forms low clumps not more than a few centimetres high. Found south of Arthur's Pass.
Carmichaelia exsul F.Muell
Carmichaelia fieldii Cockayne
Carmichaelia flagelliformis Hook. – whip broom; the stems are rounded, thin and whippy. Found from the East Cape southwards.
Carmichaelia floribunda G. Simpson
Carmichaelia glabrata G. Simpson
Carmichaelia glabrescens Heenan – pink broom; grows up to 10 m high. It also is restricted to growing at altitude in the Marlborough region of the South Island.
Carmichaelia grandiflora – large-flowered broom; found only on the West Coast of the South Island.
Carmichaelia hollowayi G.Simpson
Carmichaelia hookeri Kirk
Carmichaelia × hutchinsii Heenan
Carmichaelia juncea Hook.f.
Carmichaelia kirkii Hook.f.
Carmichaelia lacustris G. Simpson
Carmichaelia monroi Hook.f.
Carmichaelia muritai Heenan
Carmichaelia nana Hook.f.
Carmichaelia nigrans G. Simpson
Carmichaelia odorata Benth. – scented broom
Carmichaelia orbiculata Colenso
Carmichaelia ovata G. Simpson
Carmichaelia petriei Kirk
Carmichaelia prona Kirk
Carmichaelia ramosa G. Simpson
Carmichaelia rivulata G. Simpson
Carmichaelia robusta Kirk
Carmichaelia silvatica G. Simpson
Carmichaelia solandri G. Simpson
Carmichaelia stevensonii Heenan – weeping broom, tree broom; a distinctive tree, growing up to 9 m high. It occurs only at altitude in the northeast corner of the South Island, particularly along the Clarence River and the Awatere River.
Carmichaelia suteri Colenso
Carmichaelia torulosa Heenan
Carmichaelia uniflora Kirk
Carmichaelia uniflora Kirk
Carmichaelia violacea Kirk
Carmichaelia virgata Kirk
Carmichaelia williamsii Kirk – giant-flowered broom; found in coastal regions of the Bay of Plenty and East Cape.
