Caesia walalbai A.T.Webb, Birch & R.L.Barrett (Asphodelaceae, Hemerocallidoideae), a new species from south-east Queensland

Abstract

Caesia walalbai A.T.Webb, Birch & R.L.Barrett (Asphodelaceae, Hemerocallidoideae) is described as a new species endemic to south-east Queensland, Australia. It is distinguished from other white-flowered, eastern Australian Caesia species by long, often recurved pedicels and entirely yellow staminal filaments. Caesia walalbai is notable for having 23 observations on the citizen science platform iNaturalist, all made in the last three years, while a similar number of herbarium specimens have been collected, the first in 1959. The species was also collected on the Carnarvon Station Reserve BushBlitz in 2014. A new description of Caesia parviflora R.Br. is provided based on specimens collected in the Sydney region of New South Wales, the type location for the species.