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From Lachenalia Species Four on Thursday 12th of December 2024 05:12:48 PM PST
Lachenalia mathewsii W.F. Barker is found only on the South African Cape west coast on moist lower slopes. It flowers in spring (September) and is yellow with green markings. Plants grow from 10 to 20 cm, and flowers are shortly pedicellate with anthers exserted. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner.
From Hippeastrum Hybrids on Wednesday 11th of December 2024 05:41:45 PM PST
Hippeastrum 'Apricot Sensation' Photo by James Frelichowski.
From Brodiaea Species One on Tuesday 10th of December 2024 04:56:57 PM PST
Brodiaea appendiculata Hoover is found in valley grasslands, open woodlands, gravelly clay soil from the San Francisco Bay Region to the Sierra Nevada foothills of California. Blooming from April-May with violet purple flowers, this species grows to 17 in. (43 cm) and is very similar to Brodiaea californica with flowers curving upward and with linear white wavy staminodes longer than the functional stamens, but is differentiated by having forked linear appendages on the back of each anther. Only one other species has appendages (Brodiaea stellaris) and it is a much shorter plant. The photo below was taken by Nhu Nguyen at the UC Botanical Garden.
From Cyrtanthus Species Two on Monday 9th of December 2024 06:32:22 PM PST
Cyrtanthus elatus (Jacq.) Traub was previously known as Vallota speciosa aka George Lily, Scarborough lily. This is one of the most striking members of the genus and is now grown worldwide for its cut flowers. Complaints are often heard that this species flowers very erratically in cultivation, but some forms are just naturally more floriferous than others. The form usually cultivated by growers reproduces vegetatively at a sometimes alarmingly rapid rate. The clumps become overcrowded very quickly and if they are not lifted, split up and replanted on a very regular basis, flowering can cease. They prefer full sun rather than shade and flower mainly in summer. Plants grow to 60 cm high. The first photo is by Doug Westfall. The most cultivated colour is scarlet, but now pink and white forms are available. The second photo by Bill Dijk is of a white one. The third photo shows a variety that Bill is calling var. delicata. This does not seem to be a published name or accepted variety, so is perhaps a garden cultivar being grown worldwide. The fourth photo was taken by Hans Joschko. The last two photos were taken by Cameron McMaster, Outeniqua Pass, southern Cape.
From Favorite Turquoise Bulbs on Sunday 8th of December 2024 04:48:02 PM PST
Lachenalia viridiflora -- A stunning color and a very showy Lachenalia.
From Brunsvigia Three on Saturday 7th of December 2024 04:43:15 PM PST
Brunsvigia josephinae (Redouté) Ker Gawl. (syn. Brunsvigia gydobergensis D.Müll.-Doblies & U.Müll.-Doblies) is a large species which grows up to 65 cm high. It has a widespread distribution in winter rainfall areas from the western Cape to the western Karoo and the Agulhas Plain. It is found or rocky slopes and clay flats in renosterveld. Leaves are 8 to 20, recurved, oblong and smooth. The dark red, orange-yellow towards the base, flowers are in an open, widely spreading head. This species flowers from February to April. Photos 1-4 were taken by Rob Hamilton during February 2003 in Tasmania. The first photo shows an early flower spike which shows the brown and papery tunic of Brunsvigia josephinae. This bulb was replanted late December 2002 and weighed almost 3 kg. Second photos is of a more advance spike which shows yellow on the proximal flower tube. The third photo shows Brunsvigia josephinae in all its glory. Many flowers are yet to open-there are almost 50 in total. The scape is 60 cm (24 inches) wide. The fourth photo is a close-up showing the individual red flowers. Photo 5 was taken by Ron Vanderhoff at the UC Irvine Arboretum October 2009.
The photos below were taken by Nhu Nguyen of specimens at the UC Botanical Garden. Photo #1 shows a full blooming inflorescence among aloes. The second and third shows a hummingbird which acts as a pollinator for this species in northern California.
The first two photos from Cameron McMaster show a plant in habitat in the Eastern Cape. The third photo from Cameron McMaster of the leaves was taken September 2011 near Matjiesfontein. The fourth photo was taken by Mary Sue Ittner at the Karoo Desert NBG. The last photo from Uluwehi Knecht is of seeds germinating next to a U.S. 25 cent piece (2.5 cm wide).
From Drosera on Friday 6th of December 2024 04:48:37 PM PST
Drosera spp. seen and photographed in the Stirling Range National Park in September 2007 by Mary Sue Ittner. There were erect species that were like shiny towers. One of them pictured in the last two pictures had a flower that is white with pink markings and reddish leaves and stems and could be Drosera menziesii.
From South African Oxalis Three on Thursday 5th of December 2024 05:28:06 PM PST
Oxalis depressa Eckl. & Zeyh. has succulent trifoliolate leaves and white, lilac or pink flowers with a yellow tube. It is found in a broad range of the Cape Province to Zimbabwe and blooms in the fall.
Oxalis depressa MV4871 was collected 2 km inland from the mouth of Kleine Brak River where it was growing in dry sand along the dunes and vleis. It has large white flowers and blooms for a long time for me in Northern California (starting in September to October and lasting often until December). Photos by Mary Sue Ittner. The last shows the bulbs on a 1 cm grid.
Oxalis depressa from Carnarvon. Photos by Christiaan van Schalkwyk.
From Kabuyea on Wednesday 4th of December 2024 04:47:22 PM PST
Kabuyea hostifolia (syn. Cyanastrum hostifolium) is native from Tanzania to Mozambique in low elevation areas. The flowers have a clean, sweet fragrance. The photos below were taken by Dylan Hannon who calls this species the "African lily-of-the-valley". Photo 3 shows the stacks of perennial "corms" that persist, much like Ferraria. Note that each plant typically has one stack of corm and does not branch like the one in the photo. The plant shown is 6 years old.
From Leopoldia on Tuesday 3rd of December 2024 05:15:16 PM PST
Leopoldia comosa, syn. Muscari comosum is widespread in southern Europe eastwards to Turkey and Iran and has been in cultivation for many centuries, perhaps because of its culinary use. For this purpose, the plants are harvested before flowers appear. The flower head is a pallid purple; flowers when bloomed turn a shade of brown. Flowers have a musty odor, not very pleasant. Bulbs divide well and in some places escaped cultivation. The first two photos by Nhu Nguyen. The next three photos from Mary Sue Ittner show the bloom sequence of the plants in a pot. The last photo from Janos Agoston shows the bulbs.
Leopoldia comosa 'Plumosum', syn. Muscari comosum 'Plumosum' is a cultivar, deriving its name from the Latin for 'feathered'. It is composed almost entirely of sterile florets, like the florets atop the type species. Series of photographs by David Pilling showing the development of one stem and a shoot appearing in February. For more discussion see here.
