Clade Monocots | Clade Angiosperms Genus Blandfordia Rank Species | |
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Similar Blandfordia, Blandfordia grandiflora, Blandfordiaceae, Dampiera stricta, Hakea teretifolia | ||
Blandfordia nobilis, commonly known as Christmas bells, is a tufted perennial herb native to eastern Australia. Known as Gadigalbudyari in the Cadigal language of the local Indigenous Australians. Known as Reminé to the Aborigines of the Brune Island and South Tasmania region.
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Taxonomy
The type specimen was collected from Port Jackson circa the year 1800. Blandfordia nobilis was first published in 1804 by English botanist James Edward Smith, and it still bears its original name.
Description
Blandfordia nobilis grows as a tufted perennial herb. The strappy green leaves are up to 75 cm (30 in) long and 0.3 to 0.5 cm wide. The leafless flower stalks growing directly from the ground are up to 80 cm (32 in) long. Flowering occurs in late spring and summer. The flowers are yellow and red, around 4 cm long. In groups of 3 to 20 flowers. A three sided green seed pod forms later in summer, usually around 6 cm long.
Distribution and habitat
Blandfordia nobilis grows on poor sandstone soils and swampy areas, between the towns of Sydney, Milton and Braidwood. In wet heathland it is associated with sundews (Drosera) and Schoenus brevifolius.
Cultivation
Blandfordia nobilis was grown in glasshouses in the England in 1803, but are rarely seen in gardens today.
Music
Blandiflora nobilis is the subject of a Christmas Song "My Little Christmas Belle" published in 1909 by Sydney's popular song composer Joe Slater (1872-1926) with lyrics by Scottish entertainer Ward McAlister (1872-1928). The copy in the National Library of Australia bears a cartoon depiction of the blossom.