NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE

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Description: Herb 53–75 cm high. Bulb 4–13 cm below the soil surface, red.

Basal leaves 3–5 (up to 8 when two inflorescences present); lamina linear, flat, up to (180–)250–470 mm long, 2.8–4.5(–5.5) mm wide. Leaves on scape 1 or 2, green, transitioning to blackish bracts, lowest bract to 210 mm long.

Inflorescence usually one (occasionally 2) per plant, paniculate; scape 350–690 mm long, glaucous-green; flowering portion 80–235 mm long from lowest major branch, with 0–3 major branches 40–114 mm long, the branches narrowly spreading at 15–45° from the main axis, secondary branches (excluding within flower aggregations) 0–1; flowers arranged in dense cymose aggregations, terminal on the main axis and each major and secondary branch (when present), flowers 10–22 in terminal aggregation, 5–11 in branch aggregations; terminal aggregation exceeded by those on the branches. Pedicels 4–10 mm long. Bracteoles 2, similar, 4–10 mm long, ovate to narrowly ovate, acute to acuminate, opaque, the texture fairly thick, without a differentiated broad membranous margin, veins several, obscure; upper bracteole attached 2–3 mm below the flower base, apex at c. 1/4 of the flower length. Flowers 9.5–11(–12.5) mm long; sepals similar to petals but shorter to almost equal, oblong or ovate-oblong, becoming narrowly linear when dried except for the broader unexpanded base, dark brown to black; petals 9–10(–11.5 mm long, orange-brown in lower part, dark brown to blackish in upper part. Stamens equal, enclosed in perianth; filaments 5.5–6.5 mm long, at least sometimes pink; anthers versatile, 2–3.2 mm long, yellow, the tip 1–3 mm below petal apex. Style 5.8–7.5 mm long, red to orange in upper part, yellow in lower 1/3 at anthesis, shorter than the petals by 2–3.4 mm; stigma shortly trifid, minutely papillose, positioned from the middle or to the tip of the anthers.

Fruits bright to dark reddish brown to dark brown, glossy, 7.5–8.5 mm diameter. Seeds not seen.

Habitat Photo D. Hardin

Fruit Photo D. Hardin

Flowering: Flowering from November to December (occasionally to January). Fruiting December to February.

Distribution and occurrence: South Coast and Southern Tablelands regions with outlying occurrences near Sydney, Central Coast region, and Blue Mountains, Central Tablelands, NSW.

Grows in infertile soils, usually sand over sandstone, occasionally in sand over clay soil, in forest or low heathland.
NSW subdivisions: SC, CC, ST, CT

AVH map***

Previously included under a broad concept of Haemodorum planifolium which has a longer style, clearly exceeding the anther apex.