Dianella sp.
Family Asphodelaceae > Subfamily Hemerocallidoideae.
There are 20 to 40 species all known as Blue Flax lilies as well as other common names.
Up to half the species are native to Australia with Queensland having 8 or more.
Clump forming plants with fibrous roots, rhizomes or tubers.
The basal or near basal leaves, up to 1 m long, are narrow and grass-like.
They are in 2 compact ranks and the overlapping leaf bases sheath the short stem.
Leaves are deep, pale or yellow green, or blue or grey-green.
They are folded to various degrees forming a keel on the lower surface.
Venation is parallel with a prominent midvein on the lower surface.
In some species the veins are almost touching while they are more widely spaced in others.
Some species such as D. caerulea and D. congesta have tiny teeth on the edges and the lower midrib.
Inflorescences are leafless stalks with terminal flowers (a scape).
Most are taller than the foliage but they are shorter in D. brevipedunculata.
The stems are branched to various degrees and there are leaf-like bracts.
The bisexual flowers are on short stalks.
Colours vary even within one species and can be shades of blue to mauve or occasionally white.
Flowers have 3 flaring tepals, 4.5 to 10 mm long, in 2 whorls.
There may be a different number of darker veins in the tepals in each whorl.
The 6 stamens are a prominent feature.
At the top of the filament is a spherical or ovoid swelling covered in papillae.
The basifixed anthers are bright yellow or a brownish-yellow.
They open outwards via apical pores that can enlarge into slits.
The superior ovary has 3 locules, 1 style with a tiny stigma.
There can be up to about 10 ovules in each locule.
The shiny, brilliant blue to purple berries are up to 2.5 cm.
Their shape varies slightly between species.
The spongy, white pulp holds shiny black biconvex seeds.
With an uncertain number of species, the similar features between some species and with
some species having up to 6 varieties identification can be difficult.
It comes down to microscopic features such as the width, and spacing of,
the veins in the leaf.
J.F
