Greetings fellow Foxies,
Recently I was delighted to find a third Wurmbea lily in the Narrogin area, the delightful Wurmbea drummondii. Wurmbeas are associated with unrequited love, medicine, aromas and of course, sex. They flower in June-August.
Wurmbeas (common name ‘nancies’ are named a after a German aristocratic botanist named Friedrich von Wurmb (1742-1781). Friedrich and his brother fell in love with the same woman until he generously left, joined the Dutch East India Company in Indonesia and studied palms and orangutans. I wonder whether the woman’s name was Nancy, or she had any say in the matter?
The genus Wurmbea is in the family Colchicaceae (a folk remedy for rheumatism), which contains the alkaloid colchicine. Gout-riddled red wine drinkers rejoice. Before you graze, it has also been implicated in livestock deaths.
Recently I was delighted to find a third Wurmbea lily in the Narrogin area, the delightful Wurmbea drummondii. Wurmbeas are associated with unrequited love, medicine, aromas and of course, sex. They flower in June-August.
Wurmbeas (common name ‘nancies’ are named a after a German aristocratic botanist named Friedrich von Wurmb (1742-1781). Friedrich and his brother fell in love with the same woman until he generously left, joined the Dutch East India Company in Indonesia and studied palms and orangutans. I wonder whether the woman’s name was Nancy, or she had any say in the matter?
The genus Wurmbea is in the family Colchicaceae (a folk remedy for rheumatism), which contains the alkaloid colchicine. Gout-riddled red wine drinkers rejoice. Before you graze, it has also been implicated in livestock deaths.
Wurmbea tenella flower The tiny Wurmbea flowers have a superior (above flower base) ovary and waxy tepals (combined petal/ sepal). The stamens lean outwards from the ovary until the anther is near the middle of each tepal: I wonder why, and for which insect? As it turns out, each tepal has a nectar secreting spot (nectary) on the top near the anthers, which would attract insects to them. Perhaps there is another attractant that would then draw the insect to the central ovary and pistil.
I think that flies are main pollinators. Apparently some wurmbeas emit an odour to attract coprophagous (poo-loving) flies. However, I asked my sensitive sniffer wife to smell Wurmbea tenella flowers and she reported a sweet aroma.
I think that flies are main pollinators. Apparently some wurmbeas emit an odour to attract coprophagous (poo-loving) flies. However, I asked my sensitive sniffer wife to smell Wurmbea tenella flowers and she reported a sweet aroma.
Wurmbeas are the plant world's answer to our LGBTI.
Some species are plant world straight with normal flowers containing both male (anthers) and female (pistil and ovary) parts.
An example, Wurmbea sinora occurs uncommonly on gravelly soil in Foxes Lair.
Some species have male and female plants (dioecious).
Wurmbea dioica is very variable the example below has male and female flowers on the same plant (monoecious).
Some species are plant world straight with normal flowers containing both male (anthers) and female (pistil and ovary) parts.
An example, Wurmbea sinora occurs uncommonly on gravelly soil in Foxes Lair.
Some species have male and female plants (dioecious).
Wurmbea dioica is very variable the example below has male and female flowers on the same plant (monoecious).
 Wurmbea sinora hermaphroditic flowers |  Wurmbea dioica |  Wurmbea dioica male, female flowers on same plant |
Stressed flowers produce less seed in a flower, which has to maintain both male and female parts. In more stressful locations dioecious plants are more successful because each flower can put all its resources into pollen or eggs. A good dioecious example is April-flowering Dodonaea humifusa, which sprawls over rocks in red clay soil on the Granite Walk.
Beautiful but uncommon dioecious Wurmbea drummondii occurs on redder soils like gravelly loams on the Highbury and Three Mesas walks.
Andromonoecious plants are those, which have normal flowers as well as male flowers on youngest growth. Apparently, this occurs rarely in Wurmbea drummondii. Note that flowers tend to become redder with age.
Beautiful but uncommon dioecious Wurmbea drummondii occurs on redder soils like gravelly loams on the Highbury and Three Mesas walks.
Andromonoecious plants are those, which have normal flowers as well as male flowers on youngest growth. Apparently, this occurs rarely in Wurmbea drummondii. Note that flowers tend to become redder with age.
 Dodonaea humifusa plants |  Male Wurmbea drummondii |  Female Wurmbea drummondii |
Dainty Wurmbea tenella (eight nancy) is common on granitic soils. It differs from other species in having eight (sometimes more) tepals. If you look carefully you may find that flowers have variable or even no anthers. Images below show differences that I found in Foxes Lair.
 Hermaphrodite |  Some anthers are sterile |  Female flower |
Burchardia is another genus in the Colchicaceae family in the district. Flowers look similar to Wurmbeas, but the plants are larger and do not contain colchicine. I tend to see them more on stream-side soils, particularly the stately Burchardia monantha. Images below are from Quinns reserve.
 Burchardia multiflora |  Burchardia multiflora |  Burchardia monantha |