Astelia sect. Tricella Skottsb.

Birch, Joanne L., 2015, A revision of infrageneric classification in Astelia Banks & Sol. ex R. Br. (Asteliaceae), PhytoKeys 52, pp. 105-132 : 115

Astelia sect. Tricella Skottsb.

Astelia sect. Tricella Skottsb., Kongl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad. Handl. ser. 3, 14(2): 58. 1934.

Note.

Compact to open growth form; leaves linear or ensiform; inflorescences bearing many flowers; staminate flowers with short or long filaments (0.8-3.5 mm); pistillate flowers with long outer tepals (2.3-5.3 × 1.2-2.6 mm); ovary trilocular, long (2.9-6.8 mm); fruit globose with few seeds per fruit (4-12); seeds long and wide (2.2-3.7 × 1.3-2.3 mm). Type: Astelia nervosa Banks & Sol. ex Hook.f., designated here.

Included taxa and distribution.

Australia: Astelia australiana (J.H.Willis) L.B.Moore, Astelia psychrocharis F.Muell. New Zealand: Astelia chathamica (Skottsb.) L.B.Moore, Astelia fragrans Colenso, Astelia graminea L.B.Moore, Astelia grandis Hook.f. ex Kirk, Astelia nivicola Cockayne ex Cheeseman var. nivicola , Astelia var. moriceae L.B.Moore, Astelia nervosa Banks & Sol. ex Hook.f., Astelia petriei Cockayne, Astelia skottsbergii L.B.Moore.

Habitat.

Lowland scrub ( Astelia chathamica ), temperate rainforest ( Astelia australiana , Astelia fragrans , Astelia grandis , Astelia nivicola var. moriceae ), sub-alpine and alpine herb-fields ( Astelia graminea , Astelia nervosa , Astelia nivicola var. nivicola , Astelia petriei , Astelia psychrocharis , Astelia skottsbergii ).