Common name: Pregnant Onion, Pregnant Sea Onion
Albuca bracteata (Thunb.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt APNI* Synonyms: Ornithogalum caudatum W.T.Aiton APNI* Ornithogalum longibracteatum Jacq. APNI*
Description: Erect herb, 1–1.5 m high; bulb exposed, green, to 6 cm diam., bulbils (offsets) numerous.
Leaves 8–12, flat, 40–100 cm long, 20–50 mm wide.
Inflorescence an elongated raceme with up to 300 flowers, up to 100 cm long, as long as leaves; bracts longer than flowers; lower pedicels to 5–15 mm long in fruit. Flowers flat cup-shaped; tepals c. 9 mm long, white with a green stripe on outer surface, not reflexed at fruiting. Staminal filaments narrowly aristate to acuminate. Ovary globose, yellow-green.
Capsule globose, erect to 10 mm long, apex obtuse.
Flowering: intermittently throughout the year.
Distribution and occurrence: Frequently cultivated; a common garden escape in the Brogo R. Reserve and Nowra district. Native to southern Africa.
NSW subdivisions: *SC
Other Australian states: *S.A.
Text by DC Godden (1993); edited KL Wilson (Oct 2010) Taxon concept: Flora of NSW vol 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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