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Scientific Name
Arthropodium strictum
Family Name
LILIACEAE
Common Name
Chocolate Lily
Status
Rare
Height
0.2m - 1m (20-100cm)
Flowers
Mauve flowers, chocolate scented, with purplish-black conspicuous anthers.
Fruit
Papery capsule
Form
Dwarf perennial herb with basal grass-like leaves and erect stem.
Municipalities
Communities
Dry Eucalypt Forest and Woodland; Grassy Vegetation
Habitat Notes
Grows on dry hillsides, open forest and grasslands in the Midlands, North East, and East Coast to 300m. Likes well-drained to heavy, seasonally inundated soils. Common in the Tamar region.
Site Tolerance
Dry; Shady; Waterlogged; Windy
Frost Tolerance
Hardy
Soil Tolerance
Clay; Fertile; Loam; Well-drained
General Notes
Various insects are attracted to the flowers. Comments from Les Payne he has not tried to propagate this species. Suitable below powerlines.
Propagation Details
Propagation Calendar
Flowering Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seed Collecting Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sowing Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Cutting Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seed Information
Seed Collection
The small round capsules turn from soft and green to brown and brittle as the seed ripen.the ripe seed are black and firm and shed soon after maturity. harvest stalks by hand and place upside down in paper bags
Seed Treatment Method
Standard
Seed Storage Life
Several years
Viable Seeds Per Gram
Seed Treatment Notes
Seed has 2-3 month after ripening period. Sow in autumn as higher temperatures inhibit germination. (not over 18oC). *Suitable for hand-seeding in bushland.For some species seed over 12 months old may need stratification for 6- 7 weeks.
Germination Time
4-8 weeks
Suitable for Direct Seeding
Yes
Cuttings
Expected Time to Take Root
Expected Time to Plant Out
Propagation by Division
N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.
Yes
Cutting Notes
The tubers can be transplanted as well as divided, provided they are gathered intact. The tubers are on the roots and can be some distance from the rootstock.
Copyright 2000-2009, Understorey Network Incorporated. Updated 2024-10-10
Database development and website design by
Andrew Smith