Dianella revoluta explained

Dianella revoluta, commonly known as blueberry lily, blue flax-lily,^[1] or black-anther flax-lily,^[2] a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae and is endemic to, and widespread in Australia. It is a tufted, perennial herb with grass-like leaves and up to nine blue or violet flowers with six tepals, and stamens with bright yellow filaments and pale brown to almost black anthers.

Description

Dianella revoluta is a tufted, perennial herb with stems less than long and touching or up to apart. The leaves are folded lengthwise and grass-like, long and wide. The flowers are blue to violet and are arranged in groups of two to nine, each flower wide on a pedicel long. The three sepals are long with five to seven veins and the petals long with five veins. The stamen filaments are long and bright yellow, the anthers long and pale brown to almost black. Flowering mainly occurs from spring to early summer and the fruit is a blue to purple berry, long.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Taxonomy

Dianella revoluta was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.^{[6] [7]}

Five varieties of D. revoluta are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Dianella revoluta var. divaricata (R.Br.) R.J.F.Henderson;^[8]
• Dianella revoluta var. minor R.J.F.Henderson;^[9]
• Dianella revoluta R.Br. var. revoluta R.J.F.Henderson;^[10]
• Dianella revoluta var. tenuis R.J.F.Henderson;^[11]
• Dianella revoluta var. vinosa R.J.F.Henderson.^[12]

Distribution and habitat

Blueberry lily is common and widespread in all Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory but not the Northern Territory, growing in a wide range of habitats apart from very wet and very dry habitats.

Uses

The berry of D. revoluta is reported to be edible.^[13]

Cultural use

Dianella, Western Australia was named after this plant, which was plentiful in the area prior to the 1960s residential development.^[14]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Wilson . Karen L. . Dianella revoluta R.Br. . Royal Botanic Garden Sydney . 2 November 2020.
2. Web site: Walsh . Neville . Ohlsen . Daniel . Dianella revoluta . Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria . 2 November 2020.
3. Web site: Henderson . Rodney J.F. . Dianella revoluta . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 3 November 2020.
4. Web site: Walsh . Neville . Dianella revoluta var. revoluta . Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria . 3 November 2020.
5. [Anthony Huxley]
6. Web site: Dianella revoluta. APNI. 3 November 2020.
7. Book: Brown . Robert . Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae . 1810 . Typis R. Taylor et socii,1810 . London . 280 . 3 November 2020.
8. Web site: Dianella revoluta var. divaricata . Australian Plant Census . 3 November 2020.
9. Web site: Dianella revoluta var. minor . Australian Plant Census . 3 November 2020.
10. Web site: Dianella revoluta . Australian Plant Census . 3 November 2020.
11. Web site: Dianella revoluta var. tenuis . Australian Plant Census . 3 November 2020.
12. Web site: Dianella revoluta var. vinosa . Australian Plant Census . 3 November 2020.
13. Wild food plants of Australia, Tim Low
14. Web site: Perth suburb names. Landgate. Government of Western Australia. 17 October 2017.