Greek anisos – unequal, anthos – flower, referring to the unequal lobes of the perianth.
Leaves flat or near-cylindrical, sometimes hairy. Inflorescence of few to many flowers, 1-sided. Perianth irregular, tubular cleft below to form a straight or curved hood and covered with hair that is red, orange, yellow or green; lobes unequal, horizontal to erect or curved back. Stamens 6, joined near the base of the lobes and in 1-3 rows. Ovary with ovules 2-many per chamber. Fruit a dry capsule with loculicidal dehiscence.
Of great appeal for the often brightly coloured softly hairy flowers.These are in demand for floristry but unfortunately this genus is difficult to grow in the east, being climatically unsuited and susceptible to ink spot and other diseases. Some disease resistance has been established by hybridisation with A. flavidus which is generally used as one of the hybrid parents. They grow well in containers.
Seed or division; commercial production is by tissue culture.
Widely grown as ornamental plants and for the cut flower trade.
Flowers characteristically very colourful and hairy (never black); ovules numerous; capsule dehiscence loculicidal.
11 species from south-western Australia.
Hopper (1993).
Source: (2005). Haemodoraceae. 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.
