Parsonsia capsularis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parsonsia capsularis |
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| An old drawing of Parsonsia capsularis from 1846 by J.C. Heyland | |
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| Parsonsia capsularis | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Parsonsia |
| Species: |
P. capsularis
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| Binomial name | |
| Parsonsia capsularis |
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| Where Parsonsia capsularis is found (data from GBIF) | |
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Parsonsia capsularis is a climbing plant that grows only in New Zealand. It belongs to a plant family called Apocynaceae. This family includes many different kinds of flowering plants.
This plant is often called New Zealand jasmine or small flowered jasmine. In the Māori language, it has several special names. These include akakaikiore, akakiore, kaikū, kaikūkū, kaiwhiria, tōtoroene, and tōtorowene.
How Parsonsia capsularis Got Its Name
Every plant has a scientific name, which helps scientists around the world know exactly which plant they are talking about.
The First Name
The first person to give this plant a scientific name was Georg Forster. He was a German naturalist who explored the world. In 1786, he named it Periploca capsularis.
The New Genus
Later, in 1809, a Scottish botanist named Robert Brown studied the plant. He decided it belonged in a new group, or "genus," that he had just described. He named this new genus Parsonsia. So, the plant's full scientific name became Parsonsia capsularis.
What Capsularis Means
The second part of the name, capsularis, comes from a Latin word. The Latin word "capsula" means "small box." This part of the name tells us something important about the plant. It means that Parsonsia capsularis produces fruits that look like small boxes, or capsules. These capsules hold the plant's seeds.
