Doryanthes excelsa

Gymea lilies have a rosette of large numbers of sword-shaped, strap like leaves {{convert|1-2.5|m|ft|sigfig=1}} long and {{convert|10|cm|in|sigfig=1}} wide. The leaves are bright green, fibrous and glabrous.{{cite web|last1=Wilson|first1=K.L.|title=Doryanthes excelsa|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Doryanthes~excelsa|publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Plantnet|accessdate=18 November 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Rymer|first1=Julia|title=Doryanthes excelsa|url=https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp12/doryanthes-excelsa.html|publisher=Australian National Botanic Garden|accessdate=18 November 2015}}

In winter the flower spike grows from the centre of the rosette until it is up to {{convert|6|m|ft|sigfig=1}} high, bearing shorter leaves up to {{convert|30|cm|in|sigfig=1}} long. At the top of the spike, a head of flowers {{convert|30|cm|in|sigfig=1}} in diameter develops, each flower being bright red, trumpet-shaped and about {{convert|10|cm|in|sigfig=1}} long. The head is surrounded by reddish-brown bracts, sometimes making it difficult to see the flowers from the ground. Flowering occurs in spring and is followed by oval-shaped reddish-brown capsules, {{convert|7-10|cm|in|sigfig=1}} long. In late summer, the capsule splits open and releases the seeds which are {{convert|15-23|mm|in|sigfig=1}} long. The flowers are pollinated by bees and nectar-feeding birds.

Doryanthes excelsa was first formally described in 1802 by the Portuguese polymath, José Correia da Serra from the type specimen collected by George Bass "in mountainous parts of the colony of N.S.W.". The description was published in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.{{cite web|title=Doryanthes excelsa|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/504845|publisher=APNI|accessdate=13 November 2019}}{{cite journal|last1=Correia da Serra|first1=Jose|title=On the Doryanthes, a new genus of plants from new Holland|journal=Transactions of the Linnean Society of London|date=1802|volume=6|pages=211–213|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/13716#page/239/mode/1up|accessdate=18 November 2015}} The genus name (Doryanthes) is derived from the Ancient Greek δόρυ (dóry) meaning a "spear"{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Roland Wilbur|authorlink1=Roland W. Brown|title=The Composition of Scientific Words|date=1956|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press|location=Washington, D.C.}}{{rp|277}} and ἄνθος (ánthos) meaning "a flower".{{rp|338}} The specific epithet (excelsa) is a Latin word meaning "high", "lofty" or "distinguished".{{rp|410}}

Doryanthes excelsa and Doryanthes palmeri are the only two members of the family Doryanthaceae.

"Doryanthes" has inspired the naming of the journal of history and heritage for Southern Sydney founded by Dharawal historian Les Bursill.{{cite book|title=A Southern Sydney Journal of History, Heritage and the Arts|date = February 2011|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qc9UAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA298|publisher=Doryanthes|isbn = 9781925078060}}

Doryanthes excelsa requires very specific conditions in order to flourish. It requires low-nutrient, acidic soils with a pH of about 4.1 that are moderately deep, sandy, and earthy. It grows specifically on slopes that face south or southeast, along creeks, gullies or sheltered plateaus and ridges, at elevations of 100–200 metres above sea level. The plant grows in open dry sclerophyll forests which also have Angophora costata, Eucalyptus piperita, E. gummifera, E. sieberi, or E. punctata, as well as in habitats with Xanthorrhoea, Telopea, and moisture-preferring groundcover plant species.{{cite web |title=The Gymea Lily |website=Australian Plants Society NSW |date=2017-07-27 |url=https://austplants.com.au/Men-News/9127280 |access-date=2024-07-17}}{{cite web |title=The Ecology of the Gymea Lily (Doryanthes excelsa (Corr.)): Sentinel Plant of the Royal National Park |url=https://linneansocietynsw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/7-Bowen-Gymea-Lily.pdf |first=Sharon M. |last=Bowen |first2= Margaret D. |last2=Burchett |publisher=School of Environmental Science, University of Technology Sydney |access-date=2024-07-17}}

Doryanthes excelsa has a discontinuous distribution along the coast of New South Wales. It is found in Corindi (north of Coffs Harbour) in the north, and in areas surrounding Newcastle (including Awaba) down to Wollongong in the south. It is not found directly east or west of urbanized areas of Sydney. Specific areas where it is found include Newfoundland State Forest, Kremnos Creek (located just north of Glenreagh), Karuah, Nelson Bay, Somersby, Calga, Lucas Heights, Heathcote National Park, Darkes Forest, Dharug National Park, and Royal National Park. The isolated northernmost populations located north of Coffs Harbour are the most genetically divergent.{{cite journal |journal=Cunninghamia |volume=11 |issue=2 |date=2009 |last=Dimech |first=A.M. |last2=Ades |first2=P. K. |last3=Taylor |first3=P.W.J. |first4=Cross |last4=R. |last5=Ford |first5=R. |title=Population diversity of Doryanthes excelsa in eastern Australia |pages=213–219 |url=https://www.botanicgardens.org.au/sites/default/files/2023-06/Cun112213Dim.pdf |publisher=Botanic Gardens of Sydney |location=Sydney}}

Aboriginal people roasted the young stems of gymea lily for eating. They also roasted the roots to make a kind of cake. Fibres from the leaves were used for making brushes and matting.{{cite web|title=Aboriginal plant use in S.E. Australia|url=http://www.anbg.gov.au/aborig.s.e.aust/doryanthes-excelsa.html|publisher=Australian National Botanic Garden|accessdate=18 November 2015}}

Gymea lilies are hardy and adaptable plants often used in landscape gardening, not only in the Sydney region but also in other coastal areas such as Brisbane and Perth. Plants can be grown from seed but may not flower for up to eight years. Flowering can be encouraged by fire and by carefully placing a stone in the centre of the rosette.{{cite web|title=Doryanthes excelsa|url=http://anpsa.org.au/d-exc.html|publisher=Australian Native Plants Society Australia|accessdate=18 November 2015}}{{cite web|title=Fact Sheet: Gymea Lilies|url=http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1769479.htm|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Gardening Australia|accessdate=18 November 2015}}

Image:GymeaLily UNSW Flowers.jpg|Flowers

Image:Doryanthes excelsa - Morren.jpg|Flowers

Image:GymeaLilyFlowerSeeds.jpg|Flowers and past seeds

Image:Doryanthes-excelsa_Fitch.jpg|Illustration

Image:GymeaLiliLeaves.jpg|Sword-like leaves

Image:Austnativheathcote.jpg|Doryanthes excelsa growing in natural habitat in Heathcote National Park, Sydney

Image:Doryanthes excelsa flower - Awaba 009.jpg|Doryanthes excelsa growing in natural habitat in Awaba, New South Wales

Image:Chosen1.JPG|Habit

Image: Doryanthes excelsa seed head PB060049.jpg|Seed head

• List of plants known as lily

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• [https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Doryanthes+excelsa#tab_mapView Doryanthes excelsa Occurrence data] from Australasian Virtual Herbarium
• {{Commons category-inline|Doryanthes excelsa|Doryanthes excelsa}}

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Category:Doryanthaceae

Category:Flora of New South Wales

Category:Endemic flora of Australia

Category:Asparagales of Australia

Category:Garden plants of Australia

Category:Drought-tolerant plants

Category:Plants described in 1802