Astelia
Colony-forming, tufted rhizomatous dioecious perennial herbs. Roots fibrous. Leaves numerous in a basal rosette; often with a scaly indumentum. Inflorescence a terminal racemose panicle. Flowers unisexual or bisexual, perianth segments free or basally fused, silky-hairy externally; stamens attached to perianth segments, anthers basifixed; male flowers with 6 stamens and a rudimentary ovary; female flowers with rudimentary stamens, ovary ovoid, style short, filiform, stigma trifid. Fruit a berry; seeds ovoid to sub-globose, shiny, black.
About 25 species, from the southern Pacific region (e.g. New Zealand, Reunion, Mauritius and the Falkland Islands); 3 species in Australia, 3 in Victoria.
Conran, J.G. (1994). Liliaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 637–686. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
