Pachycarpus E. Mey., a genus of Apocynaceae, is a wholly African genus found in the grasslands south of the Sahara. Species are erect perennial herbs with tuberous rootstocks.
Pachycarpus campanulatus (Harv.) N.E.Br. is a slender, geophytic herb up to 750 mm high with common names of cluster bells, toad plant, fairy bell pachycarpus, and thick-fruit. The species is widely distributed mostly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal but also in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Free State Provinces. It flowers November to February. Flowers are bell-like, pale green to dull cream, becoming brown with age. Photos below were taken by Bob Rutemoeller, Mary Sue Ittner, and Cameron McMaster January 2010 in Maclear.
Pachycarpus concolor E.Mey. is found on stony hillsides and open grassland from dry stony hill slopes to flat sandy coastal flats from the Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe. It has softly woody stems from a fleshy rootstock and purplish brown or greenish flowers with darker spots and a greenish central crown. The photos below were taken by Cameron McMaster and Mary Sue Ittner in the Eastern Cape.
Pachycarpus dealbatus E.Mey. is found on grassy slopes or sparsely wooded thornveld up to 1800 m from the Western Cape to Mpumalanga. It has bell-shaped flowers that are greenish cream blotched dull purple. It flowers November to March. The photos below were taken by Cameron McMaster in the Eastern Cape.
Pachycarpus grandiflorus (L.f.) E.Mey. is found on mountain grassland from southeastern Humansdorp to Mpumalanga. It flowers January to April. The flowers are yellow with purple-brown spots. Photos below were taken by Cameron McMaster in Lesotho.
Pachycarpus vexillaris E.Mey. is found on rocky slopes from 1200 to 2600 m from the Western Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. It flowers from November to March. The photos below from Bob Rutemoeller and Cameron McMaster were taken in Andriesberg, Eastern Cape.
