Pontederia cyanea (F.Muell.) M.Pell. & C.N.Horn
Blue Hyacinth (Pontederia cyanea), a species of Pickerel Weed, is a pretty aquatic herb growing to c. 40 cm high with broad, glossy green leaves that emerge well up above the water. The inflorescences are subtended by a leaf and comprise 3–15 flowers in a dense spike-like raceme c. 1–9 cm long. Flowers are blue, purplish or white with yellow anthers. Flowering and fruiting occurs mostly February – May.
Blue Hyacinth is endemic to Australia (WA, NT, Qld, NSW). Widespread in northern NT and occurring as far south as the Barkly Tableland, where it occurs in a variety of wet habitats, including perennial springs, sandstone creeks, seasonal swamps and lagoons, billabongs and floodplains.
Photo: A. Markey
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