Doryanthes

Doryanthes excelsa, Illustration

Speer Flowers ( Doryanthes ), also called Flame Lily, is the only genus of the monotypic family of Doryanthaceae within the monocot plants ( Liliopsida ), there are only three species in the genus or family. She has only areas in eastern Australia in the provinces of Queensland and New South Wales. They are also used as ornamental plants.

Description

There are very large, herbaceous perennial plants that form rosettes. The plants form tubers as outlasting. The sessile leaves are simple, linear and parallel-veined.

The inflorescences are branched and have many bracts. On the inflorescences sometimes bulbils are formed. The large hermaphroditic, more or less zygomorphic flowers are triple and 10 to 15 cm long. The six arranged bloom ( tepals ) are not fused. There are six stamens present. The three carpels are fused to an inferior ovary. They are pollinated by birds ( Ornithophilie ) and for that they form as in bird -pollinated plants usually much nectar ( at Doryanthes palmeri up to 10 ml per day). Make the birds landing and seats available, such species are ecologically blossoms called " seat bird flowers". They are insulated draft tube capsule fruits. The seeds can be winged or wingless.

An exemplary mass blooming is observed after bushfires, through the spear flowers thanks to their tubers without prejudice.

Species

In the genus Doryanthes there are two types:

• Doryanthes excelsa Corrêa
• Doryanthes palmeri W.Hill ex Benth.

Pictures

Doryanthes excelsa:

Habitus and young inflorescences.

Habit and inflorescence.

Inflorescence.

Swell

• The family at the APWebsite (English )
• The family at DELTA. (English )