Karo - Cloak Of Darkness

Pittosporum Crassifolium

Karo is a small tree native to New Zealand. For a comparatively modest coastal plant with leathery leaves it It has attracted more names than might be expected, also being called Stiffleaf Cheesewood, Kai Karo and Kihihi. Small clusters of pretty bell-like maroon flowers give way to hard seedpods which burst into three parts to reveal sticky dark seeds. Legend recounts that a northland chief used these seeds to dye a flax cloak dark to help him to escape under cover of darkness.

The original watercolour work was shown at Auckland Botanic Gardens in the exhibition In Memory of Banks and Solander, which commemorated the 250th anniversary of the naturalists’ arrival in New Zealand

This individually signed giclee print is taken from an original watercolour painting by Jennifer Duval-Smith. The image is printed with HDR Ultra Chrome lightfast inks on gorgeous 100% cotton archival quality 310gsm weight paper. It is acid free, lignin free It will arrive flat in a cellophane sleeve, lovingly protected and backed with stiff cardboard.

If you are sending this print as a gift, please just let me know and I can include a personally inscribed gift tag at no extra cost.