''Thysanotus patersonii'', the twining fringe-lily, is a climbing

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

which is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Description

Tuberous and leafless, growing to between 0.15 and 0.5 metres in height. They produce purple flowers between July and November in its native range. Basal leaves disappear as the plant matures. They ascend through the surrounding canopy by spiralling around nearby plants to attain a height between 0.6 and 0.8 metres.

Taxonomy

The species was first described by the botanist Robert Brown.

Distribution

''Thysanotus patersonii'' occurs across southern Australian states, excluding Queensland and the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

. New South Wales flora online states that it is found in Queensland and the Northern Territory and the electronic flora of South Australia excludes only the Northern Territory.

Ecology

Strips of this plant are used by the red-eared firetail ''

Stagonopleura oculata The red-eared firetail (''Stagonopleura oculata''), also known as the boorin, is a small finch-like species of bird. It occurs in dense wetland vegetation of coastal to sub-coastal regions in Southwest Australia. Its appearance is considered app ...

'', a small bird in

Southwest Australia Southwest Australia is a biogeographic region in Western Australia. It includes the Mediterranean-climate area of southwestern Australia, which is home to a diverse and distinctive flora and fauna. The region is also known as the Southwest Aus ...

, in the construction of their elaborate nests. The plant is used in urban landscapes and gardens, especially as a

rockery A rock garden, also known as a rockery and formerly as a rockwork, is a garden, or more often a part of a garden, with a landscaping framework of rocks, stones, and gravel, with planting appropriate to this setting. Usually these are small A ...

specimen. It is grown from seed, favouring full sun and free drainage, and will trail out from rocks or loosely spiral up on neighbouring plants. Flowers are prolific and appear over spring and summer.

References

Asparagales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of South Australia Flora of Tasmania Flora of Victoria (state) Angiosperms of Western Australia Lomandroideae {{Australia-plant-stub