Doryanthes excelsa Corrêa

Agave australis (Haworth) Steudel, Furcraea australis Haworth

Doryanthaceae also place in Agavaceae

Flame Lily, Giant Lily, Globe Spear Lily, Guinea Lily, Gymea Lily, Illawara Lily, Spear Lily

None recorded

The Gymea Lily is indigenous to the coastal areas of New South Wales near Sydney, Australia.

The Gymea Lily grows in open dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands in the coastal areas of New South Wales on sandy soils derived from sandstone containing some clay. It thrives in dry climate but prefers well-drained, deep soil and full sun. It is a pyrogenic flowering species and rely on post-bush fire flowering and the production of nondormant seeds to exploit favourable post-fire establishment and growth conditions. Germination of seedlings occurs some 2.5–3 years after the passage of the fire.

The Gymea Lily provides a traditional bush food for the aborigines in the coastal areas of New South Wales (Cribb and Cribb 1976; Low 1989). The root, stem and flower spike are edible after some preparation. The stems and roots can be harvested, roasted and eaten or made into a cake. The young flower spikes (about 0.5 m high) can be roasted and eaten. The flowers are soaked in water to produce a sweet, high energy drink.