Synonyms: Dichopogon APNI*
Description: Perennial herbs, roots with stalked or sessile tubers.
Leaves radical, linear, flat, often withering early; leaf fibres from previous seasons often present.
Inflorescence racemose or paniculate, scapose; flowers usually 1–9 per node, sometmes chocolate- or vanilla-scented, sometimes secund; pedicels erect, spreading to nodding, usually articulate close to flower. Tepals free, rotate to reflexed, not spirally twisted after flowering, pale blue, purple or white; outer tepals narrow, 3–5-veined; inner tepals elliptic to circular. Stamens 6; filaments glabrous or hirsute; anthers linear, longer than filaments, introrse to latrorse, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, sometimes with 2 or 4 densely hairy basal appendages. Ovules 1–6 per loculus; style simple.
Fruit a capsule, sometimes enclosed by perianth; seeds globose to angular, black.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 18 species, Australia, New Zealand & New Caledonia, Madagascar. Australia: 13 species (12 endemic), all states.
Arthropodium was formerly placed in the family Anthericaceae. The genus Dichopogon is now included in Arthropodium.
Text by J.G. Conran, S. McCune & D.W. Hardin. Updated by R.L.Barrett 10 Mar. 2021 Taxon concept:
| Key to the species | |
1 | Pedicels 1 per node | Dichopogon strictus |
| Pedicels 2–6 per node | 2 |
2 | Flowers and fruit nodding; stamen appendages usually purple | Dichopogon fimbriatus |
| Flowers and fruit erect; stamen appendages usually yellow Back to 1 | Dichopogon sp. A sensu Harden (1993) |
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