Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

p.118 `Recherche" at North Cape offered flax. They showed us at once some bundles of the flax of New Zealand (P. tenax) by shaking it to let us see its fine quality and offering it for exchange.

p.120. ...I believe it my duty to express how important it would be to obtain in New Zealand the plant known under the name of Phormium tenax (the flax of New Zealand) to transport it into Europe, where it would suceed perfectly. The fibre obtained from its leaves has a strength much superior to all other vegetable products which are employed in rope making; the cables from it would resist every effort to break them. No one more than the Commandant of our expedition appreciated the utility of that plant for our marine."