Hyacinthaceae & Hydrocharitaceae

MONOCOTYLEDONS

HYACINTHACEAE - Hyacinth Family

A family of some 850 bulbous perennials, mostly from the Northern Hemisphere. Many are cultivated as ornamentals, and nine are recorded as naturalised in Western Australia.

Albuca canadensis has lance-shaped leaves and a stiff stem to 50cm from which hang drooping yellow flowers with a central column and a green stripe on each of the three petals. Occasional in disturbed woodland near Perth, Albany and Busselton. Flowers in spring. Native to South Africa.

Albuca canadensis . GK

Lachenalia is a genus of about 55 species native to southern Africa. At least four are naturalised around settlements and in urban bushland. All flower in winter and early spring. L. aloides (soldiers) is the most widely planted species and is occasionally found naturalised throughout the south-west. Its flowers are usually tricoloured (orange, green, and purple-brown) though other colour forms exist. L. bulbifera is quite robust and has red flowers. It produces many small bulbils, even from leaf cuttings.
L. mutabilis has flowers that are pale blue on opening, becoming crimson-brown with age.

Lachenalia aloides . PH

L. reflexa has yellow flowers that are upturned, rather than drooping, on a short stem close to the ground. This species is naturalised in tuart and banksia woodlands and heath in the Perth area and is potentially a serious bushland weed.

Lachenalia reflexa . GK

Ornithogalum is a spring-flowering genus of some 150 species, of which three are naturalised in Western Australia. O. arabicum (arab's
eye) has a spike of pure white flowers with
black centres on a stalk 60cm tall. Occasional along roadsides near settlements in the
south-west. Native to the Mediterranean.
O. longibracteatum (pregnant onion) has bulbs above the ground that produce bulbils, strap-like leaves and a flowering stalk to 1m long. The petals are white with a green stripe. It occurs among disturbed granite rocks at Albany and in urban bushland in Perth. Native to South Africa. O. thyrsoides (chincherinchee) has 30cm tall spikes of white flowers and has naturalised in the Darling Range near Perth and near Tambellup. Native to South Africa.

Ornithogalum longibracteatum . PH

HYDROCHARITACEAE - Frogbit Family

Aquatic perennials, found in fresh or saline water, totally submerged or partially emergent. Western Australia has 13 native species, two of which are naturalised outside their normal ranges, and one naturalised exotic.

Egeria densa (dense waterweed, leafy elodea) DP is a submerged weed of fresh water, originally from South America. The leaves are in whorls of four to five around the stem. The flowers have long stalks that extend up to the water surface. It flowers in summer and has spread by fragmentation of stems in lakes and rivers around Perth.

Vallisneria americana . AW

A plant from this family that is native in the north of the state has naturalised in southern rivers. Vallisneria americana (wasV. gigantea) (ribbon weed) reproduces by stolons, and is found in the Swan, Canning and Margaret Rivers. It is totally submerged and has tufts of linear leaves up to 60cm long growing from runners, and minute flowers that are produced underwater. It is native to the Kimberley and Pilbara.

V.americana . GK

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A family of some 850 bulbous perennials, mostly from the Northern Hemisphere. Many are cultivated as ornamentals, and nine are recorded as naturalised in Western Australia. *Albuca canadensis* has lance-shaped leaves and a stiff stem to 50cm from which hang drooping yellow flowers with a central column and a green stripe on each of the three petals. Occasional in disturbed woodland near Perth, Albany and Busselton. Flowers in spring. Native to South Africa.	*Albuca canadensis* . GK
*Lachenalia* is a genus of about 55 species native to southern Africa. At least four are naturalised around settlements and in urban bushland. All flower in winter and early spring. *L. aloides* (soldiers) is the most widely planted species and is occasionally found naturalised throughout the south-west. Its flowers are usually tricoloured (orange, green, and purple-brown) though other colour forms exist. *L. bulbifera* is quite robust and has red flowers. It produces many small bulbils, even from leaf cuttings. *L. mutabilis* has flowers that are pale blue on opening, becoming crimson-brown with age.	*Lachenalia aloides* . PH
*L. reflexa* has yellow flowers that are upturned, rather than drooping, on a short stem close to the ground. This species is naturalised in tuart and banksia woodlands and heath in the Perth area and is potentially a serious bushland weed.	*Lachenalia reflexa* . GK
*Ornithogalum* is a spring-flowering genus of some 150 species, of which three are naturalised in Western Australia. *O. arabicum* (arab's eye) has a spike of pure white flowers with black centres on a stalk 60cm tall. Occasional along roadsides near settlements in the south-west. Native to the Mediterranean. *O. longibracteatum* (pregnant onion) has bulbs above the ground that produce bulbils, strap-like leaves and a flowering stalk to 1m long. The petals are white with a green stripe. It occurs among disturbed granite rocks at Albany and in urban bushland in Perth. Native to South Africa. *O. thyrsoides* (chincherinchee) has 30cm tall spikes of white flowers and has naturalised in the Darling Range near Perth and near Tambellup. Native to South Africa.	*Ornithogalum* *longibracteatum* . PH