Caesia calliantha R.J.F.Hend. APNI*
Description: Tufted, glabrous herbaceous perennial; rhizome simple; roots fibrous, most with fusiform tubers 1–4 cm long towards tips.
Leaves 8–50 cm long, 1.5–15 mm wide; sheath ± papery.
Inflorescence 15–70 cm high; axis simple or 1-several-branched; lower bracts to 40 cm long; flowers in clusters of 1–3, the lowest subtended by linear subulate bracts to 6 cm long; upper bracts linear to ovate attenuate, down to 2 mm long, pedicels slender, 8–12 mm long. Tepals narrow-elliptic, 6–10 mm long, usually blue or purple with darker veins. Stamens 3–5 mm long; anthers 0.9–1.2 mm long; filaments narrow-fusiform.
Capsule strongly 3-lobed, 4–8 mm diam.; seeds 1.5–2 mm diam., colliculate often with irregular low tubercles, dull.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Usually grows in grassy understorey of sclerophyll forest on damp sandy or clay soil; south from Glen Innes district.
NSW subdivisions: NT, ST, NWS, SWS, NWP
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas. S.A.
Text by S. McCune & D. W. Hardin Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
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.
|