Thysanotus
(from thysanotos, fringed; alluding to the three elegantly-fringed inner perianth segments). Fringed Violet; Fringe Lily. SYN. Chlamysporum. Including Isandra. ORD. Liliaceae. A genus including nineteen species of greenhouse perennials, all Australian, one extending to the Philippine Islands and South China. Flowers umbellate, rarely solitary; perianth marcescent, persistent, of six segments, the outer ones narrow, the inner ones with broad, coloured margins, and fringed on the edges; stamens six, or sometimes three; bracts short, imbricated; scapes leafless or nearly so, simple or variously branched. Leaves radical, grass like. The following species have been introduced, and are very elegant subjects when in flower. They thrive in sandy loam, and may be increased by offsets.
T. dichotomus (dichotomously branched). fl. one, two, or rarely three, in terminal umbels; perianth segments purple; stamens six. July. l., radical ones few, short, withering early. Stems very variable, sometimes erect, branched, 1ft. to 2ft. high, rarely almost twining. Rhizome thick, fibrous. 1838. (B. R. 1840, 14, under name of T. intricatus.) T. tenuis is probably a reduced form of this species. (B. R. 1838, 50.) T. elatior (tall). A form of T. tuberosus.
T. intricatus (intricate). A synonym of T. dichotomus. T. isantherus (even-anthered). A synonym of T. tuberosus. T. junceus (Rush-like). * fl. one to three in terminal umbels, and sometimes one or two sessile along the lower branches; perianth segments purple, five to six lines long; stamens six. August. l., radical ones few, narrow-linear, short, soon withering. Stems slender, loosely branched, erect or flexuous, 1ft. to 2ft. high, bearing sometimes a short leaf near the base. Rhizome thick, fibrous. 1804. (B. M. 2351; B. R. 656.) T. multiflorus (many-flowered). fl., perianth segments purple, the outer ones very acute, the inner ones rather shorter; stamens three; scapes simple, 6in. to 18in. high, bearing a single, terminal, many-flowered umbel or rarely a second one lower down. August. l. all radical, densely tufted, erect, rigid, much shorter than the scape. Stock densely tufted, with fibrous roots. T. m. prolifer (proliferous). A luxuriant form, having a large, terminal umbel, frequently a second one rather lower down, and leaves sometimes exceeding the scape. (B. R. 1838, 8, and F. d. S. 1911, under name of T. proliferus.) T. proliferus (proliferous). A synonym of T. multiflorus prolifer. T. tenuis. See T. dichotomus.
T. tuberosus (tuberous-rooted). * fl., perianth purple, sometimes six to seven lines long; stamens six; scape erect, rigid, terete, 6in. to over 12in. high, branching into a loose, irregularly dichotomous panicle, each branch having a terminal umbel of one to four flowers, and sometimes a lateral, sessile one. June. l. radical, not numerous, narrow-linear, very short or as long as the scape. Fibrous roots swollen into tubers. 1825. (B. R. 655, under name of T. isantherus.) T. elatior is a tall, strong, many flowered form of this species.
