極楽鳥花 ストレリチア 鹤望兰 天堂鸟
[i][b]Strelitzia[/b][/i] (commonly known as bird of paradise or crane flower) is a genus of five flowering plants in the family [i]Strelitziaceae[/i] native to the southern Africa. Its common name, [i]bird of paradise[/i], refers to the resemblance of the open flower to the head of an actual [[bird of paradise (bird)|]].

Bird of paradise produces exotic looking flowers, usually in shades of red, orange or yellow ([i]Strelitzia reginae[/i], [i]S. juncea[/i]), although some species are white ([i]Strelitzia alba[/i], [i]S. caudata[/i], [i]S. nicolai[/i]). Each flower sprouts from a beak-like sheath (called a spathe) that grows at right angles to the stem, creating the appearance of the bird's beak. The flowers consist of red to yellow sepals and purplish-blue or white petals. The leaves are tall and thick, arranged in a fan-like pattern.

h4. Examples
* !asset #21573012: Photo reference
* !asset #21572458
* !post #4215027

h4. See also
* [[Heliconia]], also known as [i]false bird of paradise[/i]
* [[Red ginger (flower)|]]

h4. External links
* "Wikipedia: Strelitzia":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia
* "Wikipedia: Strelitzia reginae":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia_reginae
* "Wikipedia: Strelitziaceae":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitziaceae
bird of paradise flower