Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

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Wurmbea latifolia subsp. latifolia

Common name

An Early Nancy

Family

Colchicaceae

Where found

On heavy soils. Tablelands and Western Slopes.

Notes

Perennial herb to 0.15 m tall. Hairless. Leaves 3, alternating up the stem or occasionally the lowest 2 basal, either well separated and the lowest leaf threadlike or linear, to 2 mm wide, the middle and upper leaves successively shorter and with dilated bases or occasionally the lower 2 leaves basal, similar, narrow- to broad-linear or lance head shaped, the lowest leaf 1.5–8 mm wide, the upper leaf much higher up the stem . Male and female flowers on separate plants. Flowers totally white, or with a faint purple band, sweetly scented, with 6 'petals' each 5–11 mm long, fused towards the base. Flower clusters 2–9 flowered. Male cluster open, longer than the leaves; female cluster similar, or short, dense, and sometimes concealed between the basal leaves. Flowers late Winter to Spring.

PlantNET description:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=in&name=Wurmbea~latifolia~subsp.+latifolia (accessed 12 February, 2021)