Arthropodium
Vanilla Lily
Vanilla Lily
Wikipedia links: Angiosperms > Monocots > Asparagales > Asparagaceae > Lomandroideae > Arthropodium
Other links:
Overview:
Arthropodium is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the subfamily Lomandroideae of the family Asparagaceae
Common name: . . .
Conservation status: . . .
Etymology:
Flowers:
Fruit:
Leaves:
Stem & branches:
Roots:
Habit:
A genus of herbaceous perennial plants
Habitat:
Distribution:
Members of this genus are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Madagascar
Species:
World: ~ 9
Australia: ~ 4
Additional notes:
Taxonomy
Species accepted as of July 2014 are:
Arthropodium bifurcatum Heenan, A.D.Mitch. & de Lange – New Zealand North Island
Arthropodium caesioides H.Perrier – Madagascar
Arthropodium candidum Raoul – New Zealand North and South Islands
Arthropodium cirratum (G.Forst.) R.Br. – rengarenga, renga lily, New Zealand rock lily, or maikaika – New Zealand North and South Islands
Arthropodium curvipes S.Moore – Western Australia
Arthropodium dyeri (Domin) Brittan – Western Australia
Arthropodium milleflorum (Redouté) J.F.Macbr. – pale vanilla lily – New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania
Arthropodium minus R.Br. – small vanilla lily – New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania
Arthropodium neocaledonicum Baker – New Caledonia
Formerly included species
Arthropodium fimbriatum R.Br. – see Dichopogon fimbriatus
Arthropodium strictum R.Br. – chocolate lily – see Dichopogon strictus
Human uses
The rhizomes of some species can be eaten as root vegetables, including A. cirratum, A. milleflorum, A. minus, and A. strictum
A. cirratum is native to New Zealand, where it may once have been farmed
It is used for medicine as well as food, and has symbolic importance in traditional Māori culture
Sources of information: