Lilies & Irises

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This group includes any herbaceous monocot that has prominent flowers in which the flower parts are in two whorls. Monocots have one seed leaf compared to two in dicotyledons. Mature plants are recognised by parallel longitudinal veins in their often narrow leaves and by having flowers parts in threes or multiples of three.

Identification is largely on differences in flower parts, the number of flowers borne at each part of the stem from which a leaf is attached or on the form of basal leaves. Ideally records for lilies and irises should include close-up photographs of the flowers and basal leaves and a shot that shows flower arrangement along the stem.

Lilies & Irises

Featured sightings

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Tharwa, ACT - 22 Nov 2020 by Shazw

Dianella revoluta var. revoluta (Black-Anther Flax Lily) at Goulburn, NSW - 1 Nov 2024 by trevorpreston

Patersonia sericea (silky purple-flag) at Windellama, NSW - 2 Oct 2024 by AnneG1

Thysanotus patersonii (Twining Fringe Lily) at Canberra Central, ACT - 1 Oct 2023 by RobertD

Arthropodium minus (Small Vanilla Lily) at Harrison, ACT - 18 Oct 2022 by AndyRoo

Thysanotus tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Paddys River, ACT - 5 Jan 2023 by AJB

Caesia calliantha (Blue Grass-lily) at Rendezvous Creek, ACT - 14 Jan 2023 by NedJohnston

Hypoxis hygrometrica var. villosisepala (Golden Weather-grass) at Isaacs, ACT - 16 Nov 2022 by Mike

Latest sightings

Dianella tasmanica at Cotter River, ACT by RAllen

Arthropodium milleflorum at Tharwa, ACT by Clarel

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Breadalbane, NSW by trevorpreston

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Parkesbourne, NSW by trevorpreston

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Tirrannaville, NSW by trevorpreston

Dianella revoluta var. revoluta (Black-Anther Flax Lily) at Tirrannaville, NSW by trevorpreston

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Throsby, ACT by RangerRiley

Dianella caerulea at Tarago, NSW by clarehoneydove

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Tarago, NSW by clarehoneydove

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Tharwa, ACT by Shazw

Arthropodium milleflorum (Vanilla Lily) at Grabben Gullen, NSW by JaneR

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Hawker, ACT by sangio7

Patersonia fragilis (Short Purple Flag) at Glen Allen, NSW by mahargiani

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Fraser, ACT by AlisonMilton

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Fraser, ACT by AlisonMilton

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Collector, NSW by trevorpreston

Hypoxis hygrometrica var. hygrometrica (Golden Weather-grass) at Collector, NSW by trevorpreston

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Bombay, NSW by MatthewFrawley

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Kambah, ACT by HelenCross

Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Glen Allen, NSW by Csteele4

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Macgregor, ACT by Jennybach

Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Tharwa, ACT by DavidDedenczuk

Dianella revoluta var. revoluta (Black-Anther Flax Lily) at Gundaroo, NSW by ConBoekel

Dianella sp. (Flax Lily) at Mongarlowe, NSW by LisaH

Bulbine glauca (Rock Lily) at Cotter River, ACT by jeremyahagan

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Kambah, ACT by Shazw

Hypoxis hygrometrica var. hygrometrica (Golden Weather-grass) at Mount Clear, ACT by RAllen

Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Gunning, NSW by RobG1

Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Glen Allen, NSW by mahargiani

Blandfordia nobilis (Christmas Bells) at Wog Wog, NSW by Liam.m

Patersonia sp. at Glen Allen, NSW by mahargiani

Bulbine sp. at Glen Allen, NSW by mahargiani

Thysanotus tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Paddys River, ACT by TimL

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Aranda, ACT by Jubeyjubes

Hypoxis hygrometrica var. villosisepala (Golden Weather-grass) at Forde, ACT by Cmperman

Hypoxis hygrometrica var. villosisepala (Golden Weather-grass) at Wilsons Valley, NSW by mahargiani

Dianella revoluta var. revoluta (Black-Anther Flax Lily) at Wilsons Valley, NSW by mahargiani

Bulbine bulbosa (Golden Lily, Bulbine Lily) at Wilsons Valley, NSW by mahargiani

Arthropodium milleflorum (Vanilla Lily) at Wilsons Valley, NSW by mahargiani

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Lower Borough, NSW by mcleana

Sisyrinchium rosulatum (Scourweed) at Harolds Cross, NSW by courtneyb

Dianella sp. aff. longifolia (Benambra) (Pale Flax Lily, Blue Flax Lily) at Harolds Cross, NSW by courtneyb

Zantedeschia aethiopica (Arum Lily) at Campbell, ACT by JeffreyMi

Hypoxis hygrometrica var. hygrometrica (Golden Weather-grass) at Harolds Cross, NSW by courtneyb

Arum italicum (Italian Arum) at Downer, ACT by pbms123

Arthropodium milleflorum (Vanilla Lily) at Harolds Cross, NSW by courtneyb

Arthropodium milleflorum (Vanilla Lily) at Captains Flat, NSW by Csteele4

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Gundaroo, NSW by ConBoekel

Arthropodium milleflorum (Vanilla Lily) at Paddys Flat, NSW by JVR

Caesia calliantha (Blue Grass-lily) at Rendezvous Creek, ACT by jmcleod

Dianella revoluta var. revoluta (Black-Anther Flax Lily) at Manar, NSW by clarehoneydove

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Fadden, ACT by Janekemble66

Dianella revoluta var. revoluta (Black-Anther Flax Lily) at Tennent, ACT by JohnBundock

Sisyrinchium rosulatum (Scourweed) at Yarralumla, ACT by SilkeSma

Arthropodium milleflorum (Vanilla Lily) at Yaouk, NSW by Janet

Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Rendezvous Creek, ACT by jmcleod

Arthropodium milleflorum (Vanilla Lily) at Rendezvous Creek, ACT by jmcleod

Bulbine bulbosa (Golden Lily, Bulbine Lily) at Rendezvous Creek, ACT by jmcleod

Thysanotus patersonii (Twining Fringe Lily) at Kenny, ACT by leith7

Caesia calliantha (Blue Grass-lily) at Captains Flat, NSW by Csteele4

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Latham, ACT by Jennybach

Arthropodium milleflorum (Vanilla Lily) at Dry Plain, NSW by AndyRoo

Caesia calliantha (Blue Grass-lily) at Borough, NSW by Paul4K

Dianella tasmanica (Tasman Flax Lily) at Uriarra Village, ACT by KenT

Laxmannia gracilis (Slender Wire Lily) at Bungonia, NSW by KorinneM

Dianella longifolia var. longifolia (Pale Flax Lily, Blue Flax Lily) at Tarago, NSW by clarehoneydove

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Boorowa, NSW by JaneR

Caesia calliantha (Blue Grass-lily) at Kambah, ACT by mainsprite

Dianella tasmanica (Tasman Flax Lily) at Paddys River, ACT by Tapirlord

Bulbine bulbosa (Golden Lily, Bulbine Lily) at Watson, ACT by Jennybach

Thysanotus tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Hackett, ACT by Jennybach

Dianella sp. aff. longifolia (Benambra) (Pale Flax Lily, Blue Flax Lily) at Cooma, NSW by mahargiani

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Wamboin, NSW by Devesons

Caesia calliantha (Blue Grass-lily) at Wamboin, NSW by Devesons

Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Monga, NSW by clarehoneydove

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Bombay, NSW by MatthewFrawley

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Bungonia, NSW by AlisonMilton

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Parkesbourne, NSW by trevorpreston

Dianella sp. aff. longifolia (Benambra) (Pale Flax Lily, Blue Flax Lily) at Parkesbourne, NSW by trevorpreston

Dianella sp. (Flax Lily) at Higgins, ACT by Untidy

Bulbine glauca (Rock Lily) at Strathnairn, ACT by BenHarvey

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Flynn, ACT by rbannister

Tricoryne elatior (Yellow Rush Lily) at Denman Prospect, ACT by AlisonMilton

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Gungahlin, ACT by SteveBorkowskis

Laxmannia gracilis (Slender Wire Lily) at Kingsdale, NSW by trevorpreston

Wurmbea dioica subsp. dioica (Early Nancy) at Wee Jasper, NSW by Wildlifewarrior80

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Hall, ACT by strigo

Bulbine glauca (Rock Lily) at Uriarra, NSW by VanceLawrence

Bulbine bulbosa (Golden Lily, Bulbine Lily) at Dry Plain, NSW by mahargiani

Thysanotus tuberosus subsp. tuberosus (Common Fringe-lily) at Kambah, ACT by rangerstacey

Bulbine glauca (Rock Lily) at Uriarra, NSW by JimL

Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily) at Evatt, ACT by pinnaCLE

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Discussion

MatthewFrawley wrote:

20 Dec 2024

Reminds me of my Mount Taylor sighting of November 2010: Arthropodium fimbriatum (Nodding Chocolate Lily)

Arthropodium fimbriatum

JasonPStewartNMsnc2016 wrote:

18 Dec 2024

Ref. (in brief, without full citation) :

• Flora of NSW online PlantNet:  PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System).  Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. 
Quotation: "Leaves, flowering stems and spathes glabrous ... " :
→ https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Patersonia
→ https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Patersonia~fragilis
Viewed: 2024 December 18th
.

Patersonia fragilis

mahargiani wrote:

18 Dec 2024

Only one previous sighting of P fragilis, and this was also at Nunnock Swamp, although not the same part of the swamp.

Patersonia fragilis

Tapirlord wrote:

18 Dec 2024

Fragilis or sericea

Patersonia fragilis

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

18 Dec 2024

Yes quite a selection of weedy plants