''Calectasia grandiflora'', commonly known as the blue tinsel lily, is a plant in the family

Dasypogonaceae Dasypogonaceae is a family of flowering plants based on the type genus '' Dasypogon'', one that has traditionally not been commonly recognized by taxonomists; the plants it contains were usually included in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae. If valid ...

growing as a perennial herb

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the south-west of

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

. It flowers in spring.

Description

''Calectasia grandiflora'' is a

rhizomatous In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

growing to a height of about 60 cm (24 in). The stems have many side branches and bear leaves 5.2–16.5 x 0.4–1.2 mm. The six petals are blue but turn red as they age; the central

anther The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s are yellow and do not change colour as they age, unlike those of some other ''Calectasia'' species. Flowers appear from June to October (Winter and Spring) overall, though earlier in Perth than in the wheatbelt and Stirling Ranges.

Taxonomy and naming

''Calectasia grandiflora'' is one of eleven species in the genus ''

Calectasia ''Calectasia'' is a genus of about fifteen species of flowering plants in the family Dasypogonaceae and is endemic to south-western Australia. Plants is this genus are small, erect shrubs with branched stems covered by leaf sheaths. The flowers ...

''. It was first described by

Ludwig Preiss Johann August Ludwig Preiss (21 November 1811 – 21 May 1883) was a German-born British botanist and zoologist. Early life Preiss was born in Herzberg am Harz. He obtained a doctorate, probably at Hamburg, then emigrated to Western Australia. ...

in ''Plantae Preissianae'' in 1846. The

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

(''grandiflorum'') is from the Latin ''grandis'' = great and ''floris'' = flower referring to the flowers that are relatively large compared to those of the similar ''C. narragara''. It is commonly called the blue tinsel lily. "Large-flowered tinsel lily" has been proposed as an alternate common name to distinguish it from other members of the genus.

Distribution and habitat

Blue tinsel lily grows on sand, sandy clay, gravel, laterite and granite in swampy areas and on rock outcrops, flats, slopes and ridges. It is endemic to the south-western corner of Western Australia, occurring in the

Avon Wheatbelt The Avon Wheatbelt is a bioregion in Western Australia. It has an area of . It is considered part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion. Geography The Avon Wheatbelt bioregion is mostly a gently undulating landscape with low rel ...

, Esperance,

Geraldton Sandplains Geraldton Sandplains is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia, interim Australian bioregion of Western Australia. It has an area of . The Geraldton Sandplains is part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion, as asses ...

Jarrah Forest Jarrah Forest, also known as the Southwest Australia woodlands, is an interim Australian bioregion and ecoregion located in the south west of Western Australia.

, Mallee,

Swan Coastal Plain The Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia is the geographic feature which contains the Swan River as it travels west to the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain continues well beyond the boundaries of the Swan River and its tributaries, as a geol ...

and

Warren Warren most commonly refers to: * Warren (burrow), a network dug by rabbits * Warren (name), a given name and a surname, including lists of persons so named Warren may also refer to: Places Australia * Warren (biogeographic region) * War ...

biogeographic regions.

Conservation status

''Calectasia grandiflora'' is not threatened at present.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15587566 grandiflora Commelinids of Australia Endemic flora of Western Australia Plants described in 1846