Dietes robinsoniana

Lord Howe Wedding Lily
Dietes robinsoniana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Subfamily: Iridoideae
Tribe: Irideae
Genus: Dietes
Species: D. robinsoniana
Binomial name
Dietes robinsoniana
(C.Moore & F.Muell.) Klatt
Synonyms[1]

Dietes robinsoniana, the Lord Howe Wedding Lily is found naturally only on Lord Howe Island.[2] It grows on cliff faces, often in exposed situations. Found also on forest margins and the tops of Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird and behind the beaches on Lord Howe Island. It is one of the worlds most intriguing and remarkable biogeographic disjunctions, with its nearest phylogenetic relatives occurring in Africa - one continent and one+ major oceans away.[3]

This is the largest plant in the Dietes genus. It does not tolerate cold temperatures.[4]

The flowers are white with yellow markings near the centre.

An uncommon plant, though it may be locally abundant in certain sites. Growing up to 1.5 metres tall, the leaves are sword-shaped or linear, 4 to 7 cm wide. Flowering occurs from September to December. The flowers are white with yellow, lasting for one day only.

Flat triangular seeds form in a roundish shaped capsule, 3 to 4 cm long. The black seeds are around 10 mm long.

References

  1. ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ↑ "Dietes robinsoniana". PlantNET - NSW Flora Online.
  3. ↑ http://biostor.org/reference/12254
  4. ↑ Cundall. P., (2008) Native Plants:The definitive guide to Australian plants, Global Book Publishing Lane Cove, N.S.W, page 65, ISBN 978-1-74048-027-7
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