Flora of New Zealand Series

Infl. a terminal, lax, sts raceme-like panicle on a simple peduncle; lower bracts lf-like, sts 1–3 empty, those subtending fls scarious, often in groups of 2–3; pedicel articulated about the middle and ± petaloid above that level. Fls white or purplish; per. spreading to slightly reflexed at fl., later standing erect and investing fr.; tepals free, subequal to unequal, 3-nerved. Stamens 6, filaments hidden over part of their length by short hairs; anthers basifixed, introrse. Ovary superior, subglobose, 3-locular; style cylindric; stigma narrowly capitate. Capsule loculicidal. Seeds black, not elongated, subangular; embryo curved. Glab., tufted herbs perennating by sympodial rhizomes, or sts by corm-like tubers. Lvs linear to narrowly lanceolate. About 12 spp., principally Australian and one of these extending to New Guinea, and one sp. each in New Caledonia and Madagascar. The 2 N.Z. spp. endemic.

In the N.Z. spp. the staminal hairs arise on linear anther-tails which are loosely adnate to the upper two-thirds of the filament; the free lower tip of each anther-tail is very short in A. candidum but in A. cirratum it is long, brightly coloured and curled, forming a conspicuous feature of the flower and giving rise to the specific name.