Late-flowered Flax-lily

Images ©:
©Richard Hartland CC-BY

Dianella tarda

Robust densely tufted rhizomatous lily to 2 m high with fleshy roots. Dark grey-green leaves with a waxy bloom to 160 cm long, blades 8_17 mm wide, moderately to strongly V-shaped in cross-section, with smooth margins, midrib minutely rough near tip. Leaf sheaths loose. Very pale blue flowers in clusters of 2_18. Blue (or rarely white) irregularly globose berries.

Details
Flora Type
Lilies, orchids
Distinctive Features

Dark grey-green leaves V-shaped. Nodding flowers are strongly fragrant opening later in the day (hence the species name tarda). Anthers lemon-yellow.
Biology

Perennial. On clayey or loam soils, mostly on old floodplains, often in River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis riverine forest or woodland.
Native Status
Native
Taxonomy
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants)
Order
Asparagales
Family
Hemerocallidaceae
Genus
Dianella
Species
tarda

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

The leaf fibres were used, fruits eaten raw and the roots pounded and cooked on hot rocks by Aboriginal people of some Dianella species.

Interesting Facts
Similar Species

Confused with D. longifolia.
Native Status
Native