About Xeronema callistemon W.R.B.Oliv.
Xeronema callistemon W.R.B.Oliv. is a flowering plant species, commonly called Poor Knights lily, that was discovered in 1924. It is endemic to the Poor Knights Islands and Taranga Island in northern New Zealand. It was listed as vulnerable on the 1997 IUCN Red List of Plants, but as of October 2010, it does not appear on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This species typically grows on rhyolite sea cliffs and rocky outcrops, and sometimes grows in forest. It needs large amounts of water, and is pollinated by both birds and butterflies. If its seed lands on a nearby tree like Metrosideros excelsa, Xeronema callistemon can grow as an epiphyte on that tree. The species has no obvious natural enemies, and it is classified as vulnerable because it naturally grows only on these two islands. Both islands are protected as nature reserves by the New Zealand Government, and have limited public access. Even so, the plant is growing in popularity for cultivation in private gardens. A related species, Xeronema moorei, occurs on the islands of New Caledonia, which lie 1500 km to the northwest of this species' range.
