Bulbine bulbosa
Encyclopedia
Bulbine bulbosa is a flowering plant
in the genus Bulbine
, endemic to Australia
.
shaped, sweet smelling yellow flowers borne on long vertical flowering stalks with the oldest flowers at the base. Each flower has 6 tepals with notably tufted hairy yellow sepals. The individual flowers only last for one day but the flowering head may persist in flower for some weeks.
The flowering period is long, extending from September through to March, although there is wide local variation. Despite its name, each plant forms a round corm
and not a bulb
to overwinter.
It has many common names including Bulbine Lily, Golden Lily, Leek Lily (although it is not a true lily — it is not a member of the Liliaceae
), Wild Onion, Yellow Onion Weed and Native Leek (although it is not a member of the Alliaceae
, the family to which onions and leeks belong).
exhibits considerable variation . This suggests that the plants currently grouped as B. bulbosa may represent a collection of up to 4 distinct species. The diploid chromosome count is 24 (2n = 24) but populations occur with 2n = 48 and 2n = 72. Where the plant occurs on rocky ledges and has been observed to be morphologically different (shorter and more robust) and has been referred to as the Rock lily, the chromosome count 2n = 46 suggesting that this group is clearly a separate species.
B. bulbosa has been referred to in texts by a number of alternative names depending on the classification system used at the current view of taxonomy at the time of publication. These include Anthericum bulbosum , Phalangium bulbosum and Blephanthera depressa.
and is restricted to the eastern half the country being found in Queensland
, New South Wales
. Victoria
, the extreme east of South Australia
and in Tasmania
.
It is relatively widely distributed and often common in these areas being found in a variety of habitat
s including dry sclerophyll
forest, meadows, rocky crags and hedge-banks but preferring those benefiting from some winter rainfall or areas which are inundated with water at some time of the year such as swamp
s or bog
s.
who called it Parm, Puewan or Pike and who regarded the corms as the sweetest of the lily and lily-like Australian plants to eat.
.
hardiness and the pleasant scent has encouraged use of B. bulbosa as a garden flower in suitable areas although few significant varieties have been developed. It can be propagated from seeds or by division of the corm. Seeds are released from the ripened seed capsules and are best kept at least a month or two before use. Sowing in the Spring time is best with germination taking about 35 days. Watering is essential to keep seedlings and plants moist around the roots. Plants quickly grow to a substantial clump provided they are placed in full or part sun and they will succeed in a variety of soils. It is essential that good drainage is provided however. It is tolerant of moderate frost hardy and will thrive in cool climates in either hemisphere provided it has regular watering throughout the year. Without watering plants will die back to the corms but this can be prevented by maintaining watering throughout the growing season.
Collecting seeds from garden grown plants may result in low germination success as there are internal mechanisms that act to suppress self fertilisation in B. bulbosa. Having plants from more than one source may help to reduce this problem and increase seed fertility.
Naturalising B. bulbosa in wild areas and in grassland is popular and may help to keep moisture around the rootstock. However there is some evidence that some grasses may inhibit recruitment of new plants from seedlings.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the genus Bulbine
Bulbine
Bulbine is a genus of plants in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, subfamily Asphodeloideae, named for the bulb-shaped tuber shown by many of the species...
, endemic to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Description
B. bulbosa grows often dense colonies up to about 75 cms with succulent, greyish green, narrowly lanceolate leaves. It has starStar
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
shaped, sweet smelling yellow flowers borne on long vertical flowering stalks with the oldest flowers at the base. Each flower has 6 tepals with notably tufted hairy yellow sepals. The individual flowers only last for one day but the flowering head may persist in flower for some weeks.
The flowering period is long, extending from September through to March, although there is wide local variation. Despite its name, each plant forms a round corm
Corm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
and not a bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
to overwinter.
It has many common names including Bulbine Lily, Golden Lily, Leek Lily (although it is not a true lily — it is not a member of the Liliaceae
Liliaceae
The Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
), Wild Onion, Yellow Onion Weed and Native Leek (although it is not a member of the Alliaceae
Alliaceae
Allioideae is the botanical name of a monocot subfamily of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, order Asparagales. It was formerly treated as a separate family, Alliaceae...
, the family to which onions and leeks belong).
Classification
B. bulbosa occurs in a wide range of habitats and cytologicallyCell biology
Cell biology is a scientific discipline that studies cells – their physiological properties, their structure, the organelles they contain, interactions with their environment, their life cycle, division and death. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level...
exhibits considerable variation . This suggests that the plants currently grouped as B. bulbosa may represent a collection of up to 4 distinct species. The diploid chromosome count is 24 (2n = 24) but populations occur with 2n = 48 and 2n = 72. Where the plant occurs on rocky ledges and has been observed to be morphologically different (shorter and more robust) and has been referred to as the Rock lily, the chromosome count 2n = 46 suggesting that this group is clearly a separate species.
B. bulbosa has been referred to in texts by a number of alternative names depending on the classification system used at the current view of taxonomy at the time of publication. These include Anthericum bulbosum , Phalangium bulbosum and Blephanthera depressa.
Distribution
B.bulbosa is an endemic of AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and is restricted to the eastern half the country being found in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, the extreme east of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
It is relatively widely distributed and often common in these areas being found in a variety of habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s including dry sclerophyll
Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is the term for a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon ....
forest, meadows, rocky crags and hedge-banks but preferring those benefiting from some winter rainfall or areas which are inundated with water at some time of the year such as swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s or bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s.
Uses
The corms of mature plants are nutritious, containing calcium and iron and were used as food by the AboriginesIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
who called it Parm, Puewan or Pike and who regarded the corms as the sweetest of the lily and lily-like Australian plants to eat.
Toxicity
The aerial parts of the plant contain toxins and the plant is listed on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Poisonous Plant Database and eating of the foliage is alleged to cause scouring if eaten by sheep or cattleCattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
.
Cultivation
The attractive clear yellow colour, the long lasting flower stalks, its moderate frostFrost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
hardiness and the pleasant scent has encouraged use of B. bulbosa as a garden flower in suitable areas although few significant varieties have been developed. It can be propagated from seeds or by division of the corm. Seeds are released from the ripened seed capsules and are best kept at least a month or two before use. Sowing in the Spring time is best with germination taking about 35 days. Watering is essential to keep seedlings and plants moist around the roots. Plants quickly grow to a substantial clump provided they are placed in full or part sun and they will succeed in a variety of soils. It is essential that good drainage is provided however. It is tolerant of moderate frost hardy and will thrive in cool climates in either hemisphere provided it has regular watering throughout the year. Without watering plants will die back to the corms but this can be prevented by maintaining watering throughout the growing season.
Collecting seeds from garden grown plants may result in low germination success as there are internal mechanisms that act to suppress self fertilisation in B. bulbosa. Having plants from more than one source may help to reduce this problem and increase seed fertility.
Naturalising B. bulbosa in wild areas and in grassland is popular and may help to keep moisture around the rootstock. However there is some evidence that some grasses may inhibit recruitment of new plants from seedlings.