Blue Yam / Blue Trumpet
Origin of name
Family: ACANTHACEAE
- Brunoniella in honour of Robert Brown
- australias meaning “southern”
Occurrence
A local, ground-cover plant of open forest and woodlands, mostly on clayey soils.
Occurs mainly on clay soils in full sun, but also amongst grasses and small shrubs. Tolerates seasonal inundation and dryness. Can die back to underground tuber in dry periods and re-shoot when rains come.
Appearance
A prostrate or erect herb (2-30cm) with few branches and tuberous roots. Large, blue-mauve/white, trumpet flowers (Sep-Jun) lead to cylindrical seed pods (~1.5cm).
Relatively large, colourful flowers are a feature through the summer. Self-seeds readily. Caterpillars of Blue Argus butterfly eat the leaves.
Image coming soon