Cyphia digitata

Mary Sue Ittner msittner@mcn.org
Fri, 23 May 2008 16:47:01 PDT
Manning and Goldblatt's Cape Plants describe it as a twining tuberous 
perennial. This books says it has a wide distribution from Namaqualand and 
the Western Karoo to Port Elizabeth where is grows on sandstone and clay 
slopes (habitats I'd expect more likely than grassland for some of those 
areas) so must grow in some areas where there is very little rainfall and 
that mostly coming in the winter months although those growing in Port 
Elizabeth would have different conditions. I looked up some other species 
in my Namaqualand field guide and they were described as deciduous 
perennials growing from a tuber. Our group never will reach consensus about 
what is appropriate for discussion or probably even what is a geophyte and 
the leadership has erred on the side of being inclusive and has allowed 
pictures of plants with tubers, corms, bulbs, rhizomes, even tuberous roots 
to be added to the wiki. Certainly other plants that have a dormancy period 
and grow from a tuber are considered geophytes. In nature given where it 
grows there would be little to no moisture. Does anyone else grow it who 
could offer an opinion about the care it needs in summer to thrive?

Mary Sue

>Is this species considered a geophyte (how not, I suppose)?  How complete 
>a summer rest does it need?


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