Sowerbaea laxiflora. Image taken from http://www.zardec.net.au/keith/kenhurst.htm
Beginning to flower in the southwest this month is the very pretty purple tassels.
Purple tassels belong to the plant family Asparagaceae and to the genus Sowerbaea. Sowerbaea is native to Australia and is found here in Western Australia. In Western Australia there are 3 species of Sowerbaea; Sowerbaea alliaceae, Sowerbaea multicaulis, more commonly called the many stemmed lily, and Sowerbaea laxiflora, more commonly called purple tassels. Of these three species, Sowerbaea laxiflora and Sowerbaea multicaulis are the only two that occur here in the southwest.
Sowerbaea are herbs that have grass-like basal leaves and a loose inflorescence (a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem) of pink or purple flowers that have 3 stamens and 6 free tepals (when the sepals and petals are indistinguishable). Sowerbaea flower from winter right through until summer.
Sowerbaea laxiflora, or purple tassels, are perennial herbs that can grow to about 70 cm in height. They have basal grass-like leaves, a long-stalked loose head of purple, pink and even on occasion white, flowers. The individual flowers are stalked with 3 bright yellow stamens and 6 free tepals, each only 5 to 8 mm in length.
Botanical drawing of Sowerbaea laxiflora. Image taken from http://delta-intkey.com/angio/images/xxvii10.jpg
Purple tassels are found in heath or peppermint, tuart or wandoo woodlands, usually on sand and clay. They occur throughout the southwest region, from Exmouth to east of Albany and inland to Narrogin.
The purple tepals and bright yellow stamens of Sowerbaea laxiflora make it an attractive herb that is relatively easy to spot. It is beginning to flower now and it will flower from August until November.
Sowerbaea laxiflora. Image taken from http://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1312
Sources:
- Wheeler, J., Marchant, N. and Lewington, M. (2002). Flora of the South West of Western Australia, Volume 1. Australian Biological Resources Study and University of Western Australia Press. Perth, Western Australia.
- Florabase
