The flower species depicted in Vanuatu’s fifth definitive issue, represent a kaleidoscope of tropical beauty typical of the South Pacific and the profusion of form and colour is found throughout the archipelago. Take the stunning Bird of Paradise Strelitzia reginae, and the Waterlily Nymphaea sp. as excellent examples of this colour and form making them popular as cut flowers in the market. Colour dominates also in the African Tulip Tree Spathodea campanulata, Blue Sky Vine Thunbergia grandiflora and the Poinciana or Flame Tree Delonix regia. This large tree provides a magnificent display of red flowers at Christmas time giving the Islands and especially Port Vila, a blaze of colour.

The flowers represent not just colour and form but also practicality such as the Hibiscus tiliaceus. Known as “Buroa” in Vanuatu, this yellow flowering tree is good for fencing and has some medicinal properties. The Passion Fruit Passiflora provides small edible fruit and the Frangipani Plumeria obtusa is used for decoration and delivers an exquisite perfume.

Of interest is the Night Cactus flower Cereus undatus which is pollinated by moths and when in season flowers prolifically at night often around the time of the full moon.