Blandfordiaceae

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.