Earth Laughs In Flowers

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

Earth Laughs In Flowers

A chattering stream ran through the hush not far from the surging sea, and overhead tall trees met, leaving twilight below, still and cool. Somehow a rebellious patch of sunshine had found its Way to the ground, to a bank °f the stream. In this arena of light, suddenly TUKAUKI appearing as if they had just burst open, were masses of snowy while flowers of the New Zealand iris— Tukauki— looking even more white in the bright rays of the hot spring sun. That seems typical of Tukauk'i —one discovers it all about, very suddenly. Once at Hunua I found myself almost surrounded by a flowering bank before I had discovered their presence. Tukauk'i grows commonly all through both islands, even on far-away Stewart Island. At Auckland it is at present brightening up the sleep hillsides of the west coast, where it loves to grow, along with stunted flax, mingimingi and wind-swept manuka. When not in flower Tukauki is smallish and insignificant, growing in clumps. To the inexperienced it rather resembles those many grass-like sedges which abound on coastal hills. The leaves are long, narrow and yellowish, and are crowded at the base. Each year without warning—for the tiny buds are easily overlooked — one finds it in bloom again, between October and December, usually having up to six or eight flowers on a stem. They are small, about threequarters of an inch across, with three separate petals of velvety white. We often call Tukauki "native iris," and it really does belong to that large i family, of which our crocuses, gladioli, ixias and many other garden flowers are members. —B.E.G.M.