Dianella sp. Lord Howe (J. Pickard 3435) NSW Herbarium APNI* Description: Long-rhizomatous perennial herb, to 40 cm tall.
Leaves basal and cauline, erect, dark green; upper cauline leaves distichous and equitant, 30–70 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, slightly scabrous towards apex.
Inflorescence narrow-paniculate, 20–40 cm long; flowers blue or pale violet-blue; pedicels retrorse, 2–7 mm long; perianth segments 5–7 mm long, 1–5.-2 mm wide; stamen filaments yellow.
Fruit a berry, spheroidal-ovoid, c. 1 cm diam., royal blue or purplish blue when ripe.
Distribution and occurrence: Endemic to Lord Howe Island. In grassy and rocky places in open forest and coastal areas. Fairly rare.
NSW subdivisions: LHI
The taxon on Lord Howe Island differs from D. intermedia from Norfolk Island and will be recognised as a separate species (Green 1994; de Lange et al. 2005 in NZ J. Bot.43: 590). The LHI plants are taller, with a much longer rhizome and more open, less densely tufted growth habit, green (not glaucous) leaves and pale to dark blue (not greenish white) flowers.
Text by K.L. Wilson (1993); edited KL Wilson (Sept 2024)
Taxon concept: P.S. Green, Flora of Australia vol. 49 (1994); de Lange et al. (2005), New Zealand J. Botany 43: 590-591.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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