Stypandra
(from stype, tow, and aner, andros, an anther; alluding to the downy appearance of the stamens). ORD. Liliaceae. A small genus (three species) of greenhouse half-hardy, perennial herbs, with fibrous roots, natives of Australia. Flowers blue, in a very loose, terminal, dichotomous cyme; perianth at length deciduous, of six spreading segments, all equal or the inner ones broader; stamens six; pedicels filiform; bracts minute or none, or the lower ones leaf-like in the leafy species. Leaves either all radical or distichously spreading on the stem. Stem erect or ascending, sometimes woody at base. The species will succeed in an unheated it or warm border outside, if protected in severe weather. A compost of sandy loam and peat is suited to their requirements. Increased by divisions.
S. caespitosa (tufted). fl. on erect pedicels, 1in. to 2in. long, usually three or four in an umbel; perianth blue or yellowish inside, or rarely white, erect, the segments nearly 1/2in. long. June. l. mostly radical, with very short, distichous sheaths, erect, rigid, 6in. to 12in. long, 1/8in. to 1/4in. broad. Stems erect, 1ft. to 2ft. high. 1824.
S. glauca (glaucous). fl. in a loose cyme, usually leafy at base; perianth blue, the segments very acute, about 1/2in. long; pedicels recurved, 1/2in. to 1in. long, mostly solitary. June. l. distichous, the sheaths usually concealing the stem, erect or spreading, linear or lanceolate, usually 3in. to 4in., but sometimes 6in. to 8in. long, two to four lines broad. Stems low or ascending, 1ft. to 3ft. high. 1823. (B. M. 3417, under name of S. propinqua.) S. umbellata (umbellate). fl., perianth segments white or yellowish, about five lines long. June. l., radical ones numerous, 5in. to 8in. long, one to two lines broad. Stems 8in. to 10in. high, including the inflorescence, which is often reduced to a single umbel of two to four flowers on a simple scape. 1826. Very nearly allied to S. caespitosa.