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Dianella odorata

Family

Hemerocallidaceae

Botanical Name

Dianella odorata Blume

Blume, C.L. von (1828) Enumeratio Plantarum Javae 2: 12. Type: Crescit in hortis Indiae orientalis frequenter colitur.

Stem

A tufted solitary plant up to 1.25 m tall; tufts 0.5 m wide at base. Stems up to 80 cm long.

Leaves

Leaves 19-40 cm long; lamina about 19-60 x 0.9-2.2 cm, ca. flat, cucullate, obtuse; petioles about 10 cm long, winged and V-shaped in transverse section; sheath conduplicate, moderately occluded distally.

Flowers

Inflorescence exceeding leaves, narrowly cylindrical in outline; cymules condensed, usually 3-6 -flowered; pedicels 12-25 mm long and evenly rounded. Perianth segments narrowly ovate to elliptic, obtuse, mid-blue to violet. Sepals 7.5-8.5 mm long, 5-7 -nerved. Filament swelling 0.6-1.1 mm long, yellow; anthers 3.5-4.8 mm long, pale yellow. Ovules 4-8 per locule.

Fruit

Berry blue to purple, 5-8 mm long. Seed 3.5-4 mm long; testa minutely areolate and alveolate, black, shiny.

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in the NT, CYP and NEQ as far south as Hinchinbrook Island with a single collection south from Gladstone. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 180 m. Grows in rainforest, Eucalypt forest, vineforest, melaleuca forest, Eucalypt woodland and heathland. Also from Indonesia.