Dianella caerulea

It was first described by English taxonomist John Sims in Curtis's Botanical Magazine in 1802. Its specific name is the Latin adjective caerulea "blue".[4] The genus name is derived from the Roman goddess Diana, with a diminutive suffix -ella.[3]

Dianella caerulea is highly variable species, with many forms found throughout eastern Australia.[3] Six varieties are known from the Sydney district alone.[5]

The species is described as having seven varieties, having been revised by Queensland botanist Rod Henderson in 1987 for the Flora of Australia:

• Dianella caerulea var. assera grows as a taller solitary tufted plant to 1.8 m high, and is found from Nowra north along the New South Wales coast and Blue Mountains into Queensland.[6]
• Dianella caerulea var. caerulea
• Dianella caerulea var. cinerascens is a pale-grey leaved form to 0.8 m inland and north of the Sydney basin, from Putty northwest to Wollar.[7]
• Dianella caerulea var. petasmatodes is a more mat-forming variant, which reaches 2 m in diameter and 1.3 m high. It is found on the far north coast of New South Wales into Queensland.[8]
• Dianella caerulea var. producta is a taller variety to 1.3 m found from Nowra and Blackheath north through New South Wales and into Queensland. It has a greenish white to blue perianth.[9]
• Dianella caerulea var. protensa is a smaller variant up to 0.5 m high, which grows as a solitary tuft. It is found from Nowra northwards through New South Wales into Queensland. It is found in sclerophyll forest on sandy soils.[10]
• Dianella caerulea var. vannata is a taller variant to 1.3 m recorded from the Blue Mountains, the far north coast of New South Wales and Queensland.[11]

Habit

Fruit

Dianella caerulea is a strappy herbaceous fruit bearing plant to about 1 metre (3 ft) high, with a thick spreading rhizome under the ground. The bright green leaves have straight or toothed margins, and may reach 75 cm (30 in) in length and 0.3-2.5 cm wide. The small (1-1.6 cm diameter) flowers bloom in spring and summer (August to January); the perianth is pale to a dark blue, or green-blue, and the anthers at the centre are yellowy brown. These are followed by small roughly spherical indigo-coloured berries which range from about 0.7 to 1.2 cm (0.3-0.5 in) in diameter.[12] These fruit are edible.

The plant is distributed through a range in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, and Queensland. It occurs in a wide range of habitats, from coastal heathland and even sand dunes.[3]

Image in Curtis' The Botanical Magazine

Believed to have been first propagated in England in 1783, Dianella caerulea is commonly cultivated in gardens, and is sometimes seen as a low-hedging plant in public spaces and amenities plantings. It is very hardy and long-lived, and suitable for rockeries.[3] It is tolerant of poor drainage and responds well to extra moisture. Plants attract fruit-eating birds and butterflies in garden settings.[13] The smaller denser forms in particular have potential for small gardens.[14]

Dianella caerulea is a very hardy (snow and frost hardy) and long-lived plant once established. It can tolerate damp conditions but prefers moist well drained soil. It adapts readily to cultivation.[15]

The berries can be harvested in late summer or early autumn as soon as they turn a royal blue color. They contain small black seeds with a nutty flavor and can be eaten fresh or used in baked goods. Correct species identification needs to be ensured as some Dianella species have toxic berries.[16]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dianella caerulea.

Works related to Curtis's Botanical Magazine 15:505 Dianella Cærulea at Wikisource