Description: Perennial herbs, mostly evergreen; rhizome woody, rarely corm-like.
Leaves basal or cauline, equitant, usually linear or sword-shaped. Scapes erect, terete, unbranched, but often clasped at base by innermost leaf; inflorescence capitate, enclosed by a pair of large, rigid spathe bracts enclosing 2 groups of 1–6 sessile flowers.
Flowers actinomorphic; fragile, short-lived, opening in succession on sunny days. Perianth tube filiform; outer tepals broad, spreading; inner tepals very small, erect. Stamens exserted from perianth tube; filaments ± fused. Style filiform, entire; stigma 3-lobed or almost fully fused.
Capsule cylindrical, trigonous, sessile; seeds numerous.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 20 species, Australia & Malesia, New Caledonia. Australia: 18 species (endemic), Qld, Vic., Tas., S.A.
Text by T. A. James & E. A. Brown (1993); edited KL Wilson (May 2016); edited RW Jobson (2023)
Taxon concept:
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