Blue Grass Lily

Images ©:
©Nicholas Williams CC2.5, Colleen Miller

Caesia calliantha

A tufted perennial lily with flower stem to 70 cm tall with numerous blue or purple star-like flowers with darker nerves clustered in bract axils. Crowded grass-like flat green leaves to 50 cm long.

Details
Flora Type
Lilies, orchids
Former Scientific Name
C. vittata
Distinctive Features

As the flowers wither, they twist spirally. The roots are fibrous with spindle-shaped tubers.

Biology

Perennial. Moist soils that dry out in summer.

Native Status
Native
Flowering Time

Sep-Jan

Taxonomy
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants)
Order
Asparagales
Family
Hemerocallidaceae
Genus
Caesia
Species
calliantha

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

The tuberous roots were cooked and eaten as food by Aboriginal people.

Interesting Facts
Similar Species

Similar to Pale Grass Lily C. parviflora var. parviflora but smaller in all parts and paler flowers.

Native Status
Native