Clianthus Sol. ex Lindl. (1835), in the family Leguminosae subfamily Papilionoideae, contains 1 species, C. puniceus (G. Don fil.) Lindl., the kaka beak or parrot’s bill, in New Zealand.

Description Shrubs to 2m, with spreading branches. The leaves are alternate, evergreen, pinnate, with up to 15 pairs of alternate leaflets and a terminal leaflet, all soft and blunt at the apex. The flowers are large, pea-like, in elongated hanging bunches, red, pink, or greenish-white, to 8cm long. Sepals 5, equal, joined to form a loose, short, sharp-toothed calyx. Petals 5, unequal, the uppermost a broad, pointed, and bent-back standard, the 2 outer small and incurved wings, the 2 lowest forming a long, slender-pointed keel that encloses the stamens, style, and ovary. Stamens 10, the lowest 9 joined for around half their length, the uppermost free. Ovary superior, with 1 carpel containing numerous ovules; style 1, stiff, just emerging from the keel. Pollination is by birds. The pods are slightly swollen, with numerous small, kidney-shaped seeds.

Key Recognition Features The soft leaves with alternate leaflets and the large, usually red flowers.

Evolution and Relationships Sturt’s desert pea, Swainsona formosa (G. Don fil.) J. Thompson from the deserts of Western Australia, was formerly included in Clianthus on account of its large red flowers, but these are now considered to have evolved separately as an adaptation to pollination by birds.

Ecology and Geography In scrub and forest; on the North Island, in the islets of the Bay of Islands, and inland near lake Waikairemoana.

Comment A spectacular plant for flowering in early spring in mild areas with little frost. In cold areas the plants can be grown in large pots and brought under glass in winter, as they will not tolerate freezing wind.