Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria aurea, Alstroemeria aurantiaca, Alstroemeria haemantha, Alstroemeria ligtu, Alstroemeria pelegrina, Alstroemeria pulchella and Alstroemeria psittacina.

Order - Liliales

Family - Alstroemeriaceae or Liliaceae.

Names:

Alstroemeria.

Herb Lily (Alstroemeria haemantha)

Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria aurantiaca)

Other Names:

Herb Lily

New Zealand Christmas Bell

Parrot Alstroemeria.

Summary:

An erect, long stemmed lily with sprays of red and green spotted flowers.

Description:

Cotyledons:

Two.

First leaves:

Leaves:

Green.

Stipules -

Petiole - Slender twisted and clasping. Up to 60 mm long on Alstroemeria psittacina.

Blade - Lance shaped to oval or parallel sided with a tapering tip. 70 mm long.

Stems:

Long, weak, slender to 1000 mm tall.

Flower head:

Clusters of several stalked flowers at the ends of long stems.

Flowers:

On stalks.

Alstroemeria aurantiaca has red, yellow or purple funnel shaped flowers.

Alstroemeria haemantha has reddish yellow flowers with purple spotted throats.

Alstroemeria ligtu has orange, pink, red or yellow funnel shaped flowers with spotted throats.

Alstroemeria pelegrina has purple and yellow funnel shaped flowers with purple spots in the throat.

Alstroemeria pulchella has dull red flowers with green tips in clusters on stems to 1000 mm tall.

Alstroemeria psittacina has red and green funnel shaped flowers.

Ovary -

Perianth - Tubular with green, purple, yellow and/or red segments with one spotted and larger than the others.

Stamens -

Anthers -

Fruit:

Cup shaped capsule.

Seeds:

Roots:

Thick and fibrous rootstock with fine feeder roots. Rhizomes.

Key Characters:

Biology:

Life cycle:

Perennial.

Physiology:

Alstroemeria pelegrina is frost tolerant, drought intolerant.

Alstroemeria aurantiaca, Alstroemeria haemantha, Alstroemeria ligtu Alstroemeria psittacina is intolerant of frost and drought.

Reproduction:

Alstroemeria aurantiaca and Alstroemeria ligtu produce viable seed.

Flowering times:

Alstroemeria pulchella - Summer in WA.

Seed Biology and Germination:

Vegetative Propagules:

Bulbs.

Hybrids:

Allelopathy:

Population Dynamics and Dispersal:

Spread by dividing the rootstock and transplanting.

Alstroemeria aurantiaca and Alstroemeria ligtu is spread by seed and rootstock division.

Origin and History:

Tropical South America. Chile. Brazil.

Alstroemeria aurantiaca, Alstroemeria ligtu, Alstroemeria pelegrina - Chile.

Alstroemeria haemantha - Peru.

Alstroemeria pulchella - Brazil.

Alstroemeria psittacina - Tropical America.

Distribution:

ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA.

Naturalised in NSW and VIC.

Habitats:

Alstroemeria pelegrina - prefers partially shaded areas.

Alstroemeria aurantiaca, Alstroemeria haemantha, Alstroemeria ligtu, Alstroemeria psittacina - prefers sunny protected areas.

Climate:

Tropical. Temperate.

Soil:

Alstroemeria aurantiaca, Alstroemeria haemantha, Alstroemeria pelegrina - prefers well drained loams.

Alstroemeria ligtu, Alstroemeria psittacina - prefers moist, well drained soils, high in organic matter

Plant Associations:

Significance:

Beneficial:

Ornamental.

Some species grown for cut flowers.

Detrimental:

Weed.

Peruvian Lily Alstroemeria psittacina is a garden escape that has naturalised on the central coast of NSW.

Toxicity:

Not recorded as toxic.

Legislation:

None.

Management and Control:

Thresholds:

Eradication strategies:

Herbicide resistance:

Biological Control:

Related plants:

Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria psittacina)

(Alstroemeria aurea)

(Alstroemeria pulchella)

Plants of similar appearance:

References:

Auld, B.A. and Medd R.W. (1992). Weeds. An illustrated botanical guide to the weeds of Australia. (Inkata Press, Melbourne). P19. Photo.

Bodkin, F. (1986). Encyclopaedia Botanica. (Angus and Robertson, Australia). P71-72. Diagram.

Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Cousens, R.D., Dodd, J. and Lloyd, S.G. (1997). Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. (Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia). P18.

Lazarides, M. and Hince, B. (1993). CSIRO handbook of economic plants of Australia. (CSIRO, Melbourne). #62.

Acknowledgments:

Collated by HerbiGuide. Phone 08 98444064 or www.herbiguide.com.au for more information.