Dianella species

Many thanks to Margaret, Moira and David for the replies: fascinating, if
ultimately rather depressing where commercial availability is concerned!

I've been chasing up one or two other lines of enquiry in the meantime.
Firstly I looked in my copy of 'Wild Flowers of the World', by Brian Morley
and Barbara Everard, a book that first appeared 30 years ago but is still
very useful. In its entry on D.tasmanica it describes dianellas as a genus of
30 species with Australasian and Oceanic distribution, which accords with
what others have said.

Secondly I had a brief-ish look via the Net, and a search brought up quite a
number of sites, some more relevant than others (& some, to be honest, I've
not yet had time to look at properly). The most entries seem to be on
D.tasmanica - that species again! - although I was intrigued to discover that
there is a species called D.javanica growing in (where else?) Java.

Thirdly, and most interesting of the lot so far, I had a look at the latest
edition of the Pink Sheet. For those of you outside the UK, this is a list
produced by the National Council for the Conservation of Plants & Gardens
(NCCPG), and lists those plants which are not currently in commerce in
Britain, but which are felt ought to be. The species of dianella in the list
are the following: D.bambusifolia - 'bamboo-like stems as in D.caerulea', it
says - so including what David says of D.ensifolia that means at least 3
species with that slightly peculiar if attractive habit; D.boliviana -
self-explanatory; D.brevipedunculata - 'Blue flowers & blue fruits. Evergreen
foliage, 60 - 90 cms.' - sounds pretty much par for the course, although as I
have a potful of young seedlings I've done my duty & informed them that it's
grown in at least one garden; D.carinata, from Papua New Guinea; D.congesta -
another Australian; and D.rugosa, which is stated to have white flowers on
15cm stems, and evergreen foliage. I would be interested to see how well this
foliage lives up to its specific name.

Now all that little lot, combined with what we have for sale in the UK, adds
up to 13 species - not a very impressive tally out of 25 -30 species, is it?
Disappointed? - You bet! A family of plants such as this (which appears to be
strung out along the rim of the Pacific Ocean, or at least its southern half)
is frustratingly difficult to get hold of in Europe.    

Einion Hughes, Rhyl, Wales, UK
...where it's still raining: - ever considered changing Medit-Plants to
Temperate-Rain-Forest-Plants...??
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