Dianella ensifolia (L.) Redouté

Stem 0-1 m high, unbranched, rarely with a few branches. Rhizome horizontal, moderately branched. Leaves basal, scattered along the stem or in a terminal rosette, distichous, with a sheathing lower part, (25-)30-60(-100) cm by (4-)8-30 mm; above the base keeled and with the sides of the lamina becoming firmly appressed to one another and fused to form an isobilateral portion; distally with a dorsiventral linear or linear-lanceolate lamina which is sometimes absent from the lower leaves, almost always with minute serrations or prickles along the midrib on the lower surface, with a conspicuous midrib and numerous smaller veins. Inflorescence exceeding the leaves, lax or with short terminal branches often c. 1-2 cm long, bearing up to 20 pedicels. Lower bracts usually narrowly linear-lanceolate and bilaterally compressed above the basal sheath like the leaves; bracts subtending pedicels 1-4(-7) mm long or rarely absent. Pedicels 4-15(-22) mm. Perianth segments blue, white, lilac or yellow, spreading, (4-)5-8(-9) mm long. Filaments often more than half as long as the perianth segments, filiform or narrowly linear, white or yellow with a yellow or orange, glabrous swelling below the anther. Ovary green, 1.5-2 mm long; ovules 4 in each locule; style green, white or blue, 4-6 mm long. Fruit shiny blue, 6-8(-11) mm ø. Seeds several, 3-4 mm long.

Low altitude evergreen rainforest, often beside rivers, in deep shade of forest floor, usually forming dense stands. Forests and grassy slopes from near sea level to elevations of 1,700 metres in southern China.

Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.