Haemodorum coccineum

Haemodorum coccineum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Commelinales
Family: Haemodoraceae
Genus: Haemodorum
Species: H. coccineum
R.Br
Binomial name
Haemodorum coccineum

Haemodorum coccineum (bunyagutjagutja,[1] bloodroot,[2] scarlet bloodroot,[3] red root[4]) is a flowering plant in the same family as Kangaroo Paw.

Description

A perennial herb[5] to one meter high.[4][5] Although it is not a grass, it has a grass-like appearance, with strap-like,[2][4] narrow, leathery leaves arising from the base of the plant.[2][5]

Flowering usually occurs between November and March, during the Top End wet season, however flowers have been observed as early as October and as late as May.[5] The flowers are deep-red or orange red and occur in dense clusters on long stiff stalks,[2][5] which also arise from the base of the plant.[5]

Fruit develop between November and March, and can linger until May.[5] The fruit are red[4][5] to black,[2] fleshy capsules with three lobes.[5] The mature fruit release a red-purple juice when crushed.[5]

Distribution and Habitat

Found in the Top End of the Northern Territory,[2][5][6] Northern Queensland[2][5][6] and Papua New Guinea.[6] Occurs in open woodland habitats on gravelly or shallow lateritic soils and sandstone.[5]

Uses

Dyes

Indigenous Australians use this plant to make red, brown and purple dyes for coloring plant fibres.[1][2][5][7]

The bulbous red root is chopped or crushed and boiled in water to release the red-brown dyes, while the purple shades are made from H. coccineum fruit.[7]

Fibres such as the stripped leaves of Pandanus spiralis or the new leaves of Livistona humilis are added to the dye-bath, and later the colored fibre is used to make items such as baskets (Pandanus), string bags (Livistona) and fibre sculptures.[7]

Other uses

Suitable as a bedding or edging plant in native gardens.[4]

The fruits can be used in floral arrangements.[2]

Some sources report Indigenous Australians used the plant to treat snake-bite, and the dry stalks were used as fire-sticks.[5]

Propagation and Cultivation

H. coccineum can be propagated from seed.[2] Vegetative propagation can be achieved by dividing the bulbous root.

Plants prefer a well drained sandy or gravelly soil and full sun.[2] In the dry season the plant will usually die back,[2] leaving the underground rootstock to regenerate later in the year.

See also

H. brevicaule F.Muell.
H. ensifolium F.Muell.
H. flaviflorum W.Fitzg.
H. parviflorum Benth.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bula’bula Arts Aboriginal Corporation (2013) at http://www.bulabula-arts.com/Site/our-art/aboriginal-fibre-art.html. Accessed 2 September 2013
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 Wrigley, J.W. and Fagg, M. 2007 Australian Native Plants, Reed New Holland, Sydney, Australia
  3. ↑ Atlas of Living Australia website at http://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=haemodorum+coccineum. Accessed 2 September 2013
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Smith, N., 2007, Native Plants for Top End Gardens, Greening Australia (NT) Ltd, Darwin, Australia
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 Brock, J., 1988 Top End Native Plants, John Brock, Darwin, Australia
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (2013) Australia’s Virtual Herbarium. http://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Haemodorum+coccineum#tab_mapView [Accessed 2 September 2013]
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Artback Northern Territory Arts Touring (2007) Recoil Education Kit at http://www.artbacknt.com.au/images/arts/recoil/pdf/teachersnotes.pdf. Accessed 2 September 2013

External links