Me Tōngai Harakeke : Indigenous, Colonial and Imperial Histories of harakeke ( Phormium tenax ) in the Economic Botany Collection of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew

This article presents the Indigenous, colonial and imperial history of harakeke (Phormium tenax, also known as New Zealand flax, a native New Zealand plant species) as represented in the Economic Botany Collection of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. The harakeke collection of raw and prepared (muka) plant materials and textiles starts in 1853 and includes donations from Māori leaders, New Zealand field collectors, fibre entrepreneurs, world fair exhibitors and inventors. Kew’s role in the global redistribution of harakeke, and the consequential impacts on economies and environments, is also discussed. The article publishes the collection for the first time.