''Arthropodium'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

perennial plant In horticulture, the term perennial (''wikt:per-#Prefix, per-'' + ''wikt:-ennial#Suffix, -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annual plant, annuals and biennial plant, biennials. It has thus been d ...

s in the subfamily Lomandroideae of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Asparagaceae Asparagaceae (), known as the asparagus family, is a family of flowering plants, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots. The family name is based on the edible garden asparagus, '' Asparagus officinalis''. This family includes both ...

. Members of this genus are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Madagascar.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
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Taxonomy

Accepted species

Species accepted as of July 2014 are:, search for "Dichopogon" * ''

Arthropodium bifurcatum ''Arthropodium'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the subfamily Lomandroideae of the family Asparagaceae. Members of this genus are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Madagascar. Taxonomy Accepted species Speci ...

'' Heenan, A.D.Mitch. & de Lange – New Zealand North Island * '' Arthropodium caesioides'' H.Perrier – Madagascar * '' Arthropodium candidum'' Raoul – New Zealand North and South Islands * '' Arthropodium cirratum'' (G.Forst.) R.Br. – rengarenga, renga lily, New Zealand rock lily, or maikaika – New Zealand North and South Islands * '' Arthropodium curvipes'' S.Moore – Western Australia * ''

Arthropodium dyeri ''Arthropodium'' is a genus of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plants in the subfamily Lomandroideae of the family (biology), family Asparagaceae. Members of this genus are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Madagascar. ...

'' (Domin) Brittan – Western Australia * '' Arthropodium milleflorum'' (Redouté) J.F.Macbr. – pale vanilla lily – New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania * '' Arthropodium minus'' R.Br. – small vanilla lily – New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania * ''

Arthropodium neocaledonicum ''Arthropodium'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the subfamily Lomandroideae of the family Asparagaceae. Members of this genus are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Madagascar. Taxonomy Accepted species Speci ...

'' Baker – New Caledonia

Formerly included species

* ''Arthropodium fimbriatum'' R.Br. – see '' Dichopogon fimbriatus'' * ''Arthropodium strictum'' R.Br. – chocolate lily – see '' Dichopogon strictus''

Human uses

The

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

s of some species can be eaten as

root vegetable Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans or animals as food. In agricultural and culinary terminology, the term applies to true roots, such as taproots and root tubers, as well as non-roots such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and ...

s, including ''A. cirratum'', ''A. milleflorum'', ''A. minus'', and ''A. strictum''. ''A. cirratum'' is native to

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

, where it may once have been farmed. It is used for medicine as well as food, and has symbolic importance in traditional

Māori culture Māori culture () is the customs, cultural practices, and beliefs of the Māori people of New Zealand. It originated from, and is still part of, Polynesians, Eastern Polynesian culture. Māori culture forms a distinctive part of Culture of New ...

References

External links