About Hoheria lyallii Hook.fil.
Hoheria lyallii, commonly called mountain lacebark, is a flowering plant species that belongs to the mallow plant family Malvaceae. This species is endemic to New Zealand, where it grows in drier mountainous regions of the country’s South Island, primarily in the areas of eastern Canterbury and Marlborough. It grows as a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching up to 7 m (23 ft) in height, with hairy leaves and faintly sweetly scented white flowers that bloom in the summer. The Latin specific epithet lyallii was chosen to honor David Lyall, a Scottish naturalist and explorer who lived from 1817 to 1895. When cultivated in the United Kingdom, this plant has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Hoheria lyallii and the closely similar looking species Hoheria glabrata are both known as houi in the Māori language, and South Island Māori likely used these plants to produce textiles.
