Captain Cook's 'Father-and-son' botany team of George and Johann Forster gave flax its scientific name: Phormium Tenax : Phormium after the Greek for basket, and Tenax, Latin for strong. The Maori word 'hara' in Harakeke is derived from Polynesian names for pandanus (eg 'ara' in Cook Island Maori) and 'keke' meaning strong or stubborn.