Tufted to spreading herb to 1.5 m from a short to elongated rhizome. Stems, if present, less than 30 cm long. Leaves several, spreading to erect, broadly linear, veins raised on lower surface, margins smooth, recurved. Inflorescence an erect, cymose panicle, within or exceeding the foliage. Flowers numerous, spreading or nodding, to 15 mm wide; spring. Tepals mid to dark blue or violet. Anthers pale brown to nearly black, stamen appendages bright yellow. Berry 4-10 mm long, rounded.
Widespread outside the tropics in Australia.
An extremely variable species with several named botanical varieties.
D. brevicaulis (Ostenf.) G.W. Carr & P.F. Horsfall, Short-stemmed Flax Lily, widespread in southern Australia, is a tufted herb to 50 cm from a short to elongated rhizome. Leaves several, spreading to erect, linear, veins raised on lower surface, margins smooth, recurved. Inflorescence erect, irregularly branched, entirely within the foliage. Flowers numerous, nodding, to 10 mm wide.Tepals mid blue; spring. Anthers brown, stamen appendages bright yellow. Berry 4-7 mm long, rounded.
D. intermedia Endl., Norfolk Island Flax Lily from Norfolk Island is a clumpforming herb to 40 cm from a short rhizome. Leaves several, spreading, broadly linear, margins irregularly fine-toothed. Inflorescence an erect, elongate, cymose panicle. Flowers numerous, nodding, to 15 mm wide; spring. Tepals dull creamywhite to blue-violet. Anthers brown, stamen appendages yellow. Berry 8-10 mm long, rounded.
D. longifolia R. Br., Pale Flax Lily from NW, N, E, SE and south C Australia is a tufted herb to 1 m from a short rhizome. Leaves several, spreading, linear, margins smooth. Inflorescence an erect, cymose panicle, exceeding the foliage. Flowers numerous, spreading, to 15 mm wide; spring. Tepals pale blue, lavender or rarely white. Anthers pale yellow, stamen appendages orange. Berry 3-7 mm long, rounded. Syn. D. laevis R. Br. An extremely variable species with numerous botanical varieties.
Source: (2005). Hemerocallidaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.