Grassland Candles

Images ©:

Grassland Candles - Russell Best via NatureShare | Grassland Candles - Russell Best via NatureShare | Grassland Candles - Cathy Powers | Grassland Candles - Russell Best via NatureShare

Stackhousia subterranea

Erect herbaceous perennial herb to 50 cm, has unbranched stems arising from an underground rhizome. Shiny smooth pale green narrow fleshy leaves all the way up the stems, often widely spaced. Single creamy tubular flowers in a candle-like spike.

Details
Flora Type
Herbs
Former Scientific Name
Stackhousia aff. monogyna (Basalt Plains) (Vic), Stackhousia gunnii, StackhousiaÃ_sp. Midlands (Tas).
Other Common Names
Gunn's Mignonette (Tas)
Distinctive Features

Spikes of nocturnally-fragrant cream flowers that attract night-flying moths. At the base of the flower is a prominent swollen pouched leaf-like bract that is often wrinkled.
Biology

Perennial. Moist well-drained clay and loam soils in grassland and woodland. Dies back to root-stock over summer.
Native Status
Native
Flowering Time

Jul-Feb
Taxonomy
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants)
Order
Celastrales
Family
Celastraceae
Genus
Stackhousia
Species
subterranea

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Attractive garden plant.

Interesting Facts
Similar Species

Similar to Stackhousia monogyna and S. aspericocca which has two small conspicuous leaf-like bracts at the base of the flower (rather than a pouched floral leaf), and grows in heathy habitat.
Native Status
Native