A superior cultivar. Has always been grown on the East Coast. Seiferts Superior (S.S.), a cultivar once widely used by flax millers in the Manawatu, was bred from this plant. Most fibre per width of blade of any flaxes tested by Mrs Orchiston. Strips easily and cleanly into strong, shiny fibre. A very good piupiu variety. Dries very hard to a very pale cream. Strips tested for kete dried very white when boiled for one minute, and to a pale greenish cream when unboiled. Some Urewera women used the soft, shiny fibres of the young blades for very fine baby shawls and necklace ties.
| Source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Cultivar No |  |
18 |
| Source | |
Waiomatatini, East Coast. |
| Description | |
Tapa – edge. Mangu – black. Medium height. Straight, narrow, strong, pale green blades. Black margin and keel. Very seldom flowers. |
| Uses | |
A superior cultivar. Has always been grown on the East Coast. Seiferts Superior (S.S.), a cultivar once widely used by flax millers in the Manawatu, was bred from this plant. Most fibre per width of blade of any flaxes tested by Mrs Orchiston. Strips easily and cleanly into strong, shiny fibre. A very good piupiu variety. Dries very hard to a very pale cream. Strips tested for kete dried very white when boiled for one minute, and to a pale greenish cream when unboiled. Some Urewera women used the soft, shiny fibres of the young blades for very fine baby shawls and necklace ties. |
| Muka extraction |  |
Muka extracts easily and para removes effortlessly. Very much like Makaweroa. Fibre is clean and white, turning yellow towards tips in older leaves. |
| Raranga - unboiled | |
Typical muka flax. Edges of whenu fray when softened. Whenu hard to soften, better suited for muka than raranga. |
