Common name: Variable Ixia
Ixia polystachya L. APNI*
Description: Herb 30–100 cm high; corm to 25 mm diam.
Leaves 5–8, erect, linear, 20–60 cm long, 2–6 mm wide.
Scape unbranched or 1–4-branched; spike ± distichous, open or dense, few-many-flowered; spathe bracts ovate or oblong, 3–7 mm long, very shortly toothed, translucent, whitish, often faintly veined. Perianth white or pale blue to mauve-pink, the centre often a contrasting colour; tube filiform, 6–14 mm long; lobes spreading from base, obtuse, 10–25 mm long, 5–9 mm wide. Filaments not fused basally. Ovary 2–3 mm long; style branches spreading below anthers, recurved, 3–4 mm long.
Flowering: November–December
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in bushland, generally in shaded moist sites; naturalized in the Sydney region and Tathra-Bermagui area. Native of Cape Province, S Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *CC, *SC
Other Australian states: *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by T. A. James & E. A. Brown Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 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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