Haemodorum coccineum (bunyagutjagutja,[1] bloodroot,[2] menang,[3] scarlet bloodroot,[4] red root[5]) is a flowering plant in the same family as kangaroo paw.
A perennial herb[6] to one meter high.[5][6] Although it is not grass, it has a grass-like appearance, with strap-like,[2][5] narrow, leathery leaves arising from the base of the plant.[2][6]
Flowering usually occurs between November and March, during the Top End wet season, however flowers have been observed as early as October and as late as May.[6] The flowers are deep-red or orange red and occur in dense clusters on long stiff stalks,[2][6] which also arise from the base of the plant.[6]
Fruit develop between November and March, and can linger until May.[6] The fruit are red[5][6] to black,[2] fleshy capsules with three lobes.[6] The mature fruit release a red-purple juice when crushed.[6]
Found in the Top End of the Northern Territory,[2][6][7] Northern Queensland[2][6][7] and Papua New Guinea.[7] Occurs in open woodland habitats on gravelly or shallow lateritic soils and sandstone.[6]
Indigenous Australians use this plant to make red, brown and purple dyes for coloring plant fibres.[1][2][6][8]
The bulbous red root is chopped or crushed and boiled in water to release the red-brown dyes, while the purple shades are made from H. coccineum fruit.[8]
Fibres such as the stripped leaves of Pandanus spiralis or the new leaves of Livistona humilis are added to the dye-bath, and later the colored fibre is used to make items such as baskets (Pandanus), string bags (Livistona) and fibre sculptures.[8]
Suitable as a bedding or edging plant in native gardens.[5]
The fruits can be used in floral arrangements.[2]
Some sources report Indigenous Australians used the plant to treat snake-bite, and the dry stalks were used as fire-sticks.[6]
Haemodorum coccineum can be propagated from seed.[2] Vegetative propagation can be achieved by dividing the bulbous root.
Plants prefer a well-drained sandy or gravelly soil and full sun.[2] In the dry season the plant will usually die back,[2] leaving the underground rootstock to regenerate later in the year.
Haemodorum coccineum (bunyagutjagutja, bloodroot, menang, scarlet bloodroot, red root) is a flowering plant in the same family as kangaroo paw.
