About Drymophila cyanocarpa R.Br.
Drymophila cyanocarpa R.Br. is a herbaceous perennial plant that spreads via rhizomes. It usually grows to 50 cm tall, and has an arched stem that sometimes branches. Its dark green, alternate leaves are lanceolate, grow up to 8 cm long, have a prominent midrib, and sit horizontally along the stem. Flowering takes place between November and January. The creamy white flowers grow from leaf axils, hang pendulously beneath the stem, are typically 1.5 cm in diameter, and are star-shaped. Each flower has 6 pointed petals, 6 stamens with oblong anthers. The stamens are generally shorter than the perianth segments, and the plant has a three-lobed ovary. Its fruits are either oblong or heart-shaped, measure 1–1.5 cm in diameter, are turquoise-blue in colour, and contain numerous seeds. In Tasmania, no other species resembles this plant, so it is easy to identify in the field. As a common understory species, it grows in wet eucalypt (wet sclerophyll) forest, ranging from sea level up to 900 m in elevation. It occurs throughout forests across Tasmania, and is less common in Victoria and New South Wales. In Victoria, it is typically found in the south-east of the state, but can grow as far west as Otway National Park in western Victoria. In New South Wales, it is restricted to the south-east of the state, ranging as far north as Canberra.
