| The genus is related to the lilies but most botanists place the species in a separate family, the Xanthorrhoeaceae. X.australis is probably the most widely distributed species. It usually develops a rough trunk which may be branched and which is coloured black, the result of surviving many bush fires. The individual flowers are white or cream and very small. They are clustered together in a spear-like spike which can tower 2 metres or more above the top of the trunk. Seed germinates easily without pretreatment, although growth is slow and seedlings take many years to develop into large specimens. 15 seed | 
