Clianthus is an endangered genus endemic to New Zealand. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, followed by hierarchical cluster analysis, showed that Clianthus cultivars are not representative of the remaining range of wild populations. Assuch, they constitute minimal value for the ex situ conservation of Clianthus diversity. Cultivar 'White Heron' probably comes from close to the most north-easterly extremity of the distribution of C. maximus in the wild (near East Cape). Cultivars KakaKing~(R) (Naturally Native New Zealand Plants Ltd.), 'Maximus', and 'Red Cardinal' are very closely related (or indistinguishable), and also originate from the north-eastern range of this species. Cultivar 'Flamingo' associates with the more south-westerly populations of this species.
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