Thelionema caespitosum.
Family Asphodelaceae.
In the Subfamily Hemerocallidoideae is has also been known as Stypandra caespitosa.
The uncommon Tufted Blue lily is native to Australia.
Plants grow in tufts up to 90 cm high with basal leaves in 2 ranks.
The linear leaves are up to 55 cm long and 1.5 cm wide.
The overlapping bases are folded and the rest of the blade can be flat or folded.
The terminal inflorescences are longer than the leaves.
The flowers are on stalks up to 3 cm long.
They have 6 tepals up to 13 mm long in 2 whorls of slightly unequal lengths.
Colours are variable and can be white, pale yellow or pale to dark blue.
The 6 stamens have white filaments, bright yellow anthers and no swelling.
The anthers open inwards via longitudinal slits.
After the anthers open the filaments become twisted or coiled.
There is a superior, green ovary with a single style to nearly 6 mm long.
The loculicidal fruit capsules are obovoid (widest above the centre) or 3-angled.
The shiny black or dark brown seeds are up to 3.5 mm long.
The other species in S. E. Queensland is Thelionema grande which is a taller plant
with bluish new leaves and large, deep blue flowers with yellow anthers.
Flowers are occasionally white.
J.F.
