Calostemma purpureum
Encyclopedia
Calostemma purpureum, known by its common name of Garland Lily, is a long-lived perennial flowering plant that is native to Southern Australia
. Closely related to the common daffodil, Garland Lillies were once common in large colonies in grassy areas, in particular the plain on which the city of Adelaide
now stands. Due to urbanisation and grazing, the Garland Lily is now rare, only occurring in small pockets in parks on the outskirts of the city.
Leaves form from the bulb
during winter, and die off during spring. The plant flowers during summer when there are no leaves. Calostemma purpureum bursts into flower in the midst of the heat of an Australian summer
, when most other plants are not flowering. The flowers are purple-pink in colour forming in an umbel
of 5-10 showy flowers. They appear on a stalk around 30 centimetres long. The flowers are replaced in autumn
by clusters of large, berry-like seeds. The seeds may germinate while still on the plant. They germinate very readily but it may take three or four years before the new plant first flowers.
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...
. Closely related to the common daffodil, Garland Lillies were once common in large colonies in grassy areas, in particular the plain on which the city of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
now stands. Due to urbanisation and grazing, the Garland Lily is now rare, only occurring in small pockets in parks on the outskirts of the city.
Leaves form from the 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...
during winter, and die off during spring. The plant flowers during summer when there are no leaves. Calostemma purpureum bursts into flower in the midst of the heat of an Australian summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
, when most other plants are not flowering. The flowers are purple-pink in colour forming in an umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
of 5-10 showy flowers. They appear on a stalk around 30 centimetres long. The flowers are replaced in autumn
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
by clusters of large, berry-like seeds. The seeds may germinate while still on the plant. They germinate very readily but it may take three or four years before the new plant first flowers.