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{{Taxobox
| name = Bird of Paradise flower
| image = Bird_of_Paradise_flower.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Strelitzia reginae'' flower
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| subclassis = [[Zingiberidae]]
| ordo = [[Zingiberales]]
| familia = [[Strelitziaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Strelitzia]]''
| species = '''''S. reginae'''''
| binomial = ''Strelitzia reginae''
| binomial_authority = [[Aiton]]<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?35769
|title=Strelitzia reginae information from NPGS/GRIN
|publisher=www.ars-grin.gov
|accessdate=2008-03-10
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>
}}
'''''Strelitzia reginae''''' is a [[monocotyledon]]ous [[flowering plant]] indigenous to [[South Africa]]. Common names include '''Strelitzia''', '''Crane Flower''' or '''Bird of Paradise''', though these names are also collectively applied to other species in the genus ''[[Strelitzia]]''. Its scientific name commemorates [[Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz|Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]], wife of [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]].
The plant grows to 2 m (6½ ft) tall, with large, strong [[leaf|leaves]] 25-70 cm (10-28 in) long and 10-30 cm (4-12 in) broad, produced on [[Petiole (botany)|petiole]]s up to 1 m (about 40 in) long. The leaves are [[evergreen]] and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown. The [[flower]]s stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the ''[[Spadix|spathe]]''. This is placed perpendicular to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head and beak; it makes a durable perch for holding the [[sunbird]]s which [[pollination|pollinate]] the flowers. The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of three brilliant orange [[sepal]]s and three purplish-blue [[petal]]s. Two of the blue petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary. When the sunbirds sit to drink the nectar, the petals open to cover their feet in [[pollen]].
==Meaning==
Freedom, Magnificence, Good perspective
<gallery>
Image:StrelitziaReginaePlant.jpg|''Strelitzia reginae'' plant
Image:StrelitziaReginaeFlower.jpg|''Strelitzia reginae'' flower
Image:A wasp in flower.jpg|A wasp in ''Strelitzia reginae'' flower
Image:Strelitzia_larger.jpg|''Strelitzia reginae'' flower
</gallery>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons|Strelitzia reginae|Strelitzia reginae}}
*[http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantqrs/strelitziareginae.htm ''Strelitzia reginae'']
*http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stre_reg.cfm
*http://www.redlandsnursery.com.au/infonotes/sterlitziaregenae.htm
| name = Bird of Paradise flower
| image = Bird_of_Paradise_flower.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Strelitzia reginae'' flower
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| subclassis = [[Zingiberidae]]
| ordo = [[Zingiberales]]
| familia = [[Strelitziaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Strelitzia]]''
| species = '''''S. reginae'''''
| binomial = ''Strelitzia reginae''
| binomial_authority = [[Aiton]]<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?35769
|title=Strelitzia reginae information from NPGS/GRIN
|publisher=www.ars-grin.gov
|accessdate=2008-03-10
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>
}}
'''''Strelitzia reginae''''' is a [[monocotyledon]]ous [[flowering plant]] indigenous to [[South Africa]]. Common names include '''Strelitzia''', '''Crane Flower''' or '''Bird of Paradise''', though these names are also collectively applied to other species in the genus ''[[Strelitzia]]''. Its scientific name commemorates [[Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz|Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]], wife of [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]].
The plant grows to 2 m (6½ ft) tall, with large, strong [[leaf|leaves]] 25-70 cm (10-28 in) long and 10-30 cm (4-12 in) broad, produced on [[Petiole (botany)|petiole]]s up to 1 m (about 40 in) long. The leaves are [[evergreen]] and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown. The [[flower]]s stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the ''[[Spadix|spathe]]''. This is placed perpendicular to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head and beak; it makes a durable perch for holding the [[sunbird]]s which [[pollination|pollinate]] the flowers. The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of three brilliant orange [[sepal]]s and three purplish-blue [[petal]]s. Two of the blue petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary. When the sunbirds sit to drink the nectar, the petals open to cover their feet in [[pollen]].
==Meaning==
Freedom, Magnificence, Good perspective
<gallery>
Image:StrelitziaReginaePlant.jpg|''Strelitzia reginae'' plant
Image:StrelitziaReginaeFlower.jpg|''Strelitzia reginae'' flower
Image:A wasp in flower.jpg|A wasp in ''Strelitzia reginae'' flower
Image:Strelitzia_larger.jpg|''Strelitzia reginae'' flower
</gallery>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons|Strelitzia reginae|Strelitzia reginae}}
*[http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantqrs/strelitziareginae.htm ''Strelitzia reginae'']
*http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/stre_reg.cfm
*http://www.redlandsnursery.com.au/infonotes/sterlitziaregenae.htm