Common name: Blue Flax-lily
Dianella caerulea Sims APNI* Description: Perennial herb tufted and solitary, or mat-forming; roots fibrous.
Leaves to 75 cm long; sheath conduplicate, a third to ± completely occluded; blade 3–25 mm wide.
Inflorescence exceeding foliage; cymules expanded to contracted, 3–25-flowered. Perianth whitish to dark blue or blue-green; outer tepals 7–11.5 mm long, 5–7-veined; inner tepals 6.3–10.5 mm long, 3–5-veined. Stamens with filament swellings 1–3 mm long, yellow; anthers yellow-brown.
Berry 7–12 mm long.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence:
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, NWS, CWS
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas.
Text by K. L. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW vol 4 (1993); based on R. Henderson (1987), Flora of Australia vol. 45.
| | Key to the varieties | |
| 1 | Leaf sheath one- to two-thirds occluded distally, Y-shaped in cross section in that region | 2 |
| Leaf sheaths more than two-thirds occluded distally, ± biconvex in cross section in that region | 3 |
| 2 | Stems ± condensed, scales few proximally; no extravaginal shoots; perianth mid- to dark blue. Plant tufted, solitary, to 0.5 m high; stems short, leafy, touching or up to 60 cm apart. Cymules ± expanded, fewer than 10-flowered. Perianth mid- to dark blue | var. caerulea |
| Stems conspicuously elongated, scaly for most of their length; extravaginal shoots developing distally with age; perianth greenish white to bright blue. Plant tufted, solitary, to 1.3 m high; stems elongating, with scales for most of their length, touching or up to 10 cm apart. Cymules ± expanded, 3–6-flowered. Perianth greenish white to blue
Back to 1 | var. producta |
| 3 | Leaves strongly glaucous; true stems <10 cm long; inflorescence narrow-cylindrical in outline, interrupted. Plant tufted, solitary to gregarious, to 0.8 m high; stems short, touching or up to 30 cm apart. Cymules contracted, few-flowered. Perianth creamy-green to pale blue | var. cinerascens |
| Leaves not glaucous; true stems to 1.8 m long; inflorescence from conical to narrow-cylindrical in outline, continuous or interrupted
Back to 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Stems scaly for most of their length; extravaginal shoots produced distally. Plant tufted, solitary, to 1.8 m high; stems elongating, with scales for most of their length. Cymules expanded or contracted, few-flowered. Perianth pale to mid-blue, often with green streaks externally | var. assera |
| Stems leafy for most of their length; no extravaginal shoots
Back to 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Leaf sheaths not minutely papillose or pubescent; plants forming mats to 2 m diam.; mature leaves subequal in size at several nodes near middle of stem; perianth dark bronze-green to blue-green. Plant mat-forming with mats to 2 m diam., to 1.3 m high; stems elongating, with a few scales below several subequal leaves. Cymules many-flowered, contracted. Perianth dark bronze-green to blue-green | var. petasmatodes |
| Leaf sheaths minutely but densely pubescent or papillose; plants forming tufts usually <0.5 m diam.; mature leaves increasing in size upwards; perianth pale to dark blue
Back to 4 | 6 |
| 6 | Aerial shoots adjacent or up to 30 cm apart, to 0.5 m tall. Plant tufted, solitary, to 0.5 m high; stems elongating somewhat, with scales then leaves increasing in size upwards, to 30 cm apart. Cymules ± expanded, 3–5-flowered. Perianth pale blue | var. protensa |
| Aerial shoots ± touching, to 1.3 m high. Plant tufted, solitary, to 1.3 m high; stems elongating, ± adjacent, with scale leaves then leaves increasing in size upwards. Cymules expanded to contracted, many-flowered. Perianth very pale to mid-blue
Back to 5 | var. vannata |
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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