Bulbinella modesta

Bulbinella modesta is a species of perennial herb in the family Asphodelaceae and the subfamily Asphodeloideae. It is very slender, reaching 300 mm in height. Its roots are swollen and are fusiform in character. Its leaves are bright-green in colour, less than 10 mm wide, and linear in character. Its inflorescences (flower clusters) are short. Its flowers are star-like in character, yellow-coloured, with 9.5–13 mm long perianths. Its bracteoles are short. Its pedicels are long and spreading. Its capsules are globe-shaped and 4.5–5 mm in diameter. Its seeds are brown in colour and 3.5–4 mm long.

Bulbinella modesta is endemic to New Zealand. It is only found in the West Coast Region of the South Island, ranging from Westport in the Buller District to as far south as about Ōkārito. B. modesta's 2023 assessment in the New Zealand Threat Classification System was "At Risk — Naturally Uncommon".

Habitat. New Zealand's Bulbinella species prefer colder habitats and soils with high water content. B. modesta typically occurs in boglands, damp lowland areas, and near swamp associated forests. It commonly occurs 300 m (1,000 ft) above sea level. B. modesta is commonly associated with Austroderia richardii and Phormium tenax.

The etymology (word origin) of B. modesta's genus name, Bulbinella, derives from the Greek βολβός, simply meaning 'bulb' (an underground plant storage structure). Both words Bulbine and Bulbinella translate to English as 'little bulb'. The specific epithet (second part of the scientific name), modesta, was chosen by Moore to denote "the modest dimensions of the plant" in comparrison with other species it had previously been placed in.