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Meet the matted flax-lily

Scientific name: Dianella amoena

Matted flax-lily

Conservation status

Australian Government status: endangered
Victorian status: critically endangered

About

The matted flax-lily is a long-lived native plant with small violet, star-shaped flowers and green-grey leaves. Flowering between October to April, it can reach up to 90 cm in height and form clumps around 5 metres wide. It can be hard to spot in dry months when it retreats underground.

The matted flax-lily is buzz-pollinated by female native bees. Buzz pollination is important for groups of some plants, where vibrations by native bees are the main way that pollen is released.

The introduced honeybee can’t do buzz pollination and is not an effective pollinator of matted flax-lily.

Where are they found?

In Victoria, this lily is usually found in lowland grasslands, valley grassy forest and creek-lines of herb-rich woodlands.

Threats

  • overgrazing
  • weed invasion
  • population fragmentation
  • habitat loss.

What we are doing

We are working to protect the matted flax-lily in our conservation areas.

Page last updated: 24/01/24