Doryanthes excelsa
| Gymea lily | |
|---|---|
| Gymea lily in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Doryanthaceae |
| Genus: | Doryanthes |
| Species: | D. excelsa |
| Binomial name | |
| Doryanthes excelsa | |
| Synonyms | |
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Doryanthes excelsa, commonly known as the gymea lily, is a flowering plant in the family Doryanthaceae that is endemic to coastal areas of New South Wales near Sydney. It has sword-like leaves more than 1 metre (3 ft) long and it grows a flower spike up to 6 metres (20 ft) high. The apex of the spike bears a large cluster of bright red flowers, each 10 centimetres (4 in) across. Its common name is derived from kai'mia (anglicised as Gymea) in the indigenous Dharawal language. The Sydney suburbs of Gymea and Gymea Bay are named after the lily.