Blandfordiaceae

  • H. T. Clifford
  • J. G. Conran
Chapter
Part of the The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants book series (FAMILIES GENERA, volume 3)

Abstract

Perennial, tufted herbs with fibrous roots arising from a more or less tuberous, short rhizome. Leaves alternate, distichous, sessile, sheathing the rhizome; blades linear; veins numerous, parallel, close, with few to many cross-veins; midrib prominent. Inflorescence a terminal raceme to more or less 1.5 m. Flowers bisexual, hypogynous, actinomorphic, pedicellate, articulated with a long, well-developed pericladium; perianth marcescent, not twisted after anthesis; pedicels with 2 very narrow bracteoles at the base, arising in the axil of a small bract; tepals 6, petaloid, fused to form a campanulate corolla-tube with broad corolla lobes, red and yellow, orange or yellow. Stamens 3 + 3; filaments attached to lower 1/3 or 1/2 of corolla tube; anthers 2-thecate, 4-sporangiate, dorsifixed, dehiscing latrorsely by slits. Gynoecium of 3 united carpels; ovary 3-locular, tapering below into a gynophore; septal nectaries present as deep exterior grooves; style single, erect, short with a single, apically 3-grooved stigma. Ovules numerous, anatropous, in 2 rows on axile placentas. Fruit a septicidal capsule. Seeds brown and covered with hairlike papillae. Endosperm copious, lacking starch; embryo linear, slightly curved and about 1/2 the length of the seed.

Keywords

Calcium Oxalate Corolla Tube Blue Mountain Pollination Ecology Short Rhizome 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Selected Bibliography

  1. Chase, M.W. et al. 1995. See general references.Google Scholar
  2. Dahlgren, R.M.T. et al. 1985. See general references.Google Scholar
  3. Di Fulvio, T.E., Cave, M.S. 1964. Embryology of Blandfordia nobilis Smith ( Liliaceae) with special reference to its taxonomic position. Phytomorphology 14: 487-499.Google Scholar
  4. Gascoigne, R.M., Ritchie, E., White, D.E. 1948. A survey of anthocyanins in the Australian flora. J. R. Soc. N. S. W. 82: 44-70.Google Scholar
  5. Hegnauer, R. 1963. See general references.Google Scholar
  6. Hutchinson, J. 1959. The families of flowering plants, Vol. 2 Monocotyledons, 2nd edn. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
  7. Johnson, K.A., Morrison, D.A., Goldsack, G. 1994. Post-fire flowering patterns in Blandfordia nobilis (Liliaceae). Austr. J. Bot. 42: 49-60.Google Scholar
  8. Kosenko, V.N. 1994. Morfologiya pyl'tsy semeistv Phormia- ceae, Blandfordiaceae i Doryanthaceae. Bot. Zh. 79: 1-12.Google Scholar
  9. Krause, K. 1930. Liliaceae. In: Engler A., Prantl K. (eds.) Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien, 2nd edn, Vol. 15a. Leipzig: W. Engelmann, pp. 227 - 386.Google Scholar
  10. Porter, C.L., Morrison, D.A., Johnson, K.A. 1992. Morphological variation within the genus Blandfordia (Liliaceae) in relation to its environment. Austr. Syst. Bot. 5: 373-386.Google Scholar
  11. Pyke, G.H., Day, L.P., Wale, K.A. 1988. Pollination ecology of Christmas bells (Blandfordia nobilis Sm.): Effects of adding artificial nectar on pollen removal and seed set. Austr. J. Ecol. 13: 279-284.Google Scholar
  12. Ramsey, M., Prakash, N., Cairns, S. 1993. Breeding systems of disjunct populations of Christmas bells (Blandfordia grandiflora R. Br., Liliaceae ): Variation in self-fertility and an ovular mechanism regulating self-fertilisation. Austr. J. Bot. 41: 35-47.Google Scholar
  13. Schulze, W. 1982. Beiträge zur Taxonomie der Liliifloren IX. Anthericaceae. Wiss. Z. Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena 31: 291-307.Google Scholar
  14. Smith-White, S. 1959. Cytological evolution in the Australian flora. Quant. Biol. 24: 273-289.Google Scholar
  15. Takhtajan, A.L. 1980. Outline of the classification of flowering plants (Magnoliophyta). Bot. Rev. 46: 225-359.Google Scholar
  16. Takhtajan, A.L. 1982. See general references.Google Scholar
  17. Zimmerman, M., Pyke, G.H. 1988a. Pollination ecology of Christmas Bells (Blandfordia nobilis): effects of pollen quantity and source on seed set. Austr. J. Ecol. 13: 93-100.Google Scholar
  18. Zimmerman, M., Pyke, G.H. 1988b. Pollination ecology of Christmas Bells (Blandfordia nobilis): patterns of standing crop nectar. Austr. J. Ecol. 13: 301-310.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1998

Authors and Affiliations

  • H. T. Clifford
  • J. G. Conran

There are no affiliations available

Personalised recommendations