Dianella

Dianella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Phormiaceae Genus: Dianella
Species
See text.

The genus Dianella (common name flax lily) consist of 30 known species belonging to the family Hemerocallidaceae with around half native to Australia.^[1]

Features:

• Long strappy leaves up to 1 m long
  • Range in colour from deep green, blue-green to pale green
• Underground rhizome
• Blue flowers in spring
  • 3-petals & 3-sepals (or 6-petals to the casual observer)
  • Prominent yellow stamens
  • Borne in sprays on a stem, for most species above the leaves
• Shiny blue to purple berries
  • 5mm - 15mm diameter
  • Spherical to elongated
  • Spongy pulp
  • Shiny black seeds

Their habitat ranges from moist forests, dry woodland rainforests and coastal dunes.^[2]

Australian Species (incomplete)

• Dianella bambusifolia, berries reported edible^[3]
• Dianella brevicaulis ^[4]
• Dianella brevipedunculata, leaves to 60cm, flowers & berries hidden within leaves
• Dianella caerulea, Paroo lily, leaves to 60cm, flower stem to 90cm
• Dianella congesta, Beach flax lily, fruit in tight bunches, berries reported edible best tasting ^[3]
• Dianella longifolia, flower step up to 1m, berries reported edible^[3]
• Dianella pavopenacea, berries reported edible^[3]
• Dianella rara
• Dianella revoluta, berries reported edible^[3]
• Dianella tasmanica, Tasman flax lily, leaves to 80cm, flower stem to 1.5m, berries not edible^[3]
• Dianella tenuissima, recently discovered tussock-forming species from the Blue Mountains of New South Wales

Cultivation

• Frost hardy
• Full sun or part shade
• Propagate by division of rhizome

Uses

Landscaping - some species have dense attractive foliage and eye-catching displays of long-lasting bright blue berries.

Many species have edible fruit but most taste insipid, reportedly tastiest is the beach flax lily (D. congesta).^[3]

The leaves were used to weave dillies and baskets by Australian aboriginals.^[3]

Dianella fruit

Dianella plant

Dianella (flax lily) & Stylidium graminifolium (grass trigger plant), Cathedral Rock National Park, NSW

References

1. ^ Starting out with Natives, John Wriggley & Murray Fagg
2. ^ What wild flower is that? Alec M Blombery
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Wild food plants of Australia, Tim Low
4. ^ "Dianella brevicaulis". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/16326. 

Australian plants online