Arthropodium sp. in Black Hill, Morialta and Horsnell Gully Conservation Parks

LILIACEAE

Arthropodium strictum
Black Hill Conservation Park
photo from 1999.

The lily family is a large family with about 300 genera and 4,000 species, with about 300 species in Australia.

The name Arthropodium is made from two Greek words; arthron meaning a joint, and podion meaning a little foot, and is a references to the jointed flower stems.

This genus is perennial with fleshy tuber-like roots.

Arthropodium fimbriatum
nodding chocolate-lily

Fimbriatum means fringed.

This plant was once known as Dichopogon fimbriatus

Flowering from October to February, this perenial usually has groups of 2 to 4 flowers along the flower stems.

The leaves are about 8 cm long, although, on occassions may be up to 30cm, and a few millimetres wide.

Fire Response
Arthropodium fimbriatum survives a fire event by regrowing from underground tubers, however immature plants will die. Mature plants regrow quickly, retaining their mature phase. There is low confidence of them establishing in a new location as they require a disturbed site with competition removed.

Arthropodium strictum
Common vanilla-lily

The name means erect or upright.

This plant was once known as Dichopogon strictus

The plant grows to about a metre tall with leaves up to 40cm long and up to 1.5cm wide.

The flowers are singular along the stems. Flowering period mainly September to December.

Fire Response
Arthropodium strictum survives a fire event by regrowing from underground tubers, however immature plants will die. Mature plants regrow quickly, retaining their mature phase. There is medium confidence that a population will suvive a fire event, but low confidence of them establishing in a new location as they require a disturbed site with competition removed.

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Return to Horsnell Gully plant page 1

Return to Morialta plant page 1

New page added 8 April 2009
Sources: e-Flora of SA, Wikipedia, Encyclopeadia of Australian Plants.