Geranium

March 18, 2015, 5:46 pm

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Geranium transversale Rose Foundling - This is a unique, bright, deep pink form of the normally pallid tuberous species native to Central Asia, W Siberia and N China. Originally found in the Aktash mountains in Uzbekistan. Photos contributed by Paige Woodward.

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Bartholina

March 19, 2015, 5:09 pm

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Bartholina burmanniana is found on clay slopes and flats from Clanwilliam to the Eastern Cape. It is a tuberous geophyte with a single prostrate hairy leaf and a solitary white flower with a much divided lip. The first photo was taken by Bob Rutemoeller near Greyton September 2003. The second photo is from Alan Horstmann.

Sprekelia

March 20, 2015, 5:41 pm

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Sprekelia howardii was discovered from Southern Mexico and described in 2000 by D. Lehmiller. It is a much smaller species than S. formosissima with much narrower petals and leaves. Treat this species the same way as S. formosissima although a dry dormancy is a must. Repotting must be done carefully as the plant may skip a year of blooming if the roots are disturbed too much. Doug Westfall reported that pollen from S. formosissima microwaved for 20 seconds, then mixed with fresh pollen of S. howardii can be used to pollinate the same plant of S. howardii. The reasoning is that microwaving the pollen will kill the sperm but still allow the self-incompatibility mechanism on the stigma to be turned off. Once it is turned off, the S. howardii pollen can pollinate itself. However, there is still a potential for the F1 to be hybrids using this technique. Photo 1 was taken by Doug Westfall who is growing this species in Southern California. Photos 2-3 were taken by Nhu Nguyen of plants grown in Berkeley, California.

Resnova

March 21, 2015, 5:39 pm

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Resnova humifusa, syn. Drimiopsis maxima Baker, syn. Scilla schlechteri Baker, is found in grassland among rocks in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. It grows to 40 cm. and has leaves that narrow gradually to the base and greyish flowers striped pink, white, green or brown. Tepals are erect to spreading. This is a good garden and container plant for shade. These plants were in bloom August 2003 from a September 2001 sowing of seeds that were labeled Drimiopsis maculata but are now identified as this species instead. As is true with a lot of bulbs whose leaves in later seasons are more colorful than the earlier ones, the original leaves were not very spotted, but the second set appearing in March 2004 are. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner.

Cyanicula

March 22, 2015, 5:25 pm

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Cyanicula amplexans, syn. Caladenia amplexans is a small orchid with one dark green leaf and 1 to 2 flowers on a thick wiry scape growing to 20 cm. The flowers are blue and about 2 cm. across. This species is native to Western Australia where is it found in shrubland, she-oak thickets, and mallee scrub. Photo by Bob Rutemoeller taken September 2007 near Pemberton.

Maianthemum

March 23, 2015, 6:30 pm

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Maianthemum racemosum, syn. Smilacina racemosa is found in moist woods and stream banks to open forests in North America. It has a stout fleshy rootstock and in spite of its name a dense panicle of branching white flowers followed by bright red berries. The first three photos by Bob Rutemoeller of plants seen in flower in Scotland and growing wild along the Mendocino-Sonoma coast in California.

Narcissus Division Two

March 24, 2015, 5:14 pm

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Narcissus 'Ceylon' is early to mid-season bloomer with deep yellow petals and an orange-rimmed cup. It is extremely vigorous and its flowers are long lasting. Photos taken March 2007 by Jay Yourch.

Bulbinella

March 25, 2015, 5:49 pm

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Bulbinella elegans has yellow to white small flowers in conical racemes and narrow and channeled leaves. It grows in clay soils in karroid scrub or Renosterveld in dry areas of the South African Cape Floral province. It flowers August to September. The first photo was taken by Mary Sue Ittner August 2001 near Nieuwoudtville. The rest of the photos were taken near Middelpos in the Roggeveld September 2006 by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.

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Lyperanthus

March 26, 2015, 5:34 pm

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Lyperanthus serratus Lindl., known as Rattle Beaks since the flowers shake when rattled is endemic to Western Australia where it is found in the wetter areas in the southwest. This orchid grows from 20 to 50 cm. and is found in forest, woodland and heath. Three to ten greenish yellow flowers streaked with crimson and brown are on an erect raceme 20 to 50 cm. high. Flowers are 3 to 5 cm. wide. The single leaf is arched, ribbed, and linear. Photographs taken by Mary Sue Ittner and Bob Rutemoeller in southwestern Australia September 2007.

Disperis

March 27, 2015, 5:20 pm

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Disperis oxyglossa is found in damp grasslands at 1400-2500 meters from the Southern Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It has one to five pinkish purple flowers with green spots on the lower half of the petals. The side sepals are spreading with the spurs facing backwards and with long pointed tips. Photos taken by Cameron McMaster at Aurora Peak.

South African Oxalis Ten

March 28, 2015, 5:20 pm

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Oxalis versicolor has a common name of candycane sorrel referring to the red and white stripes when the flower is closed. It is a long blooming South African species found on flats and slopes in the northwest and southwest Cape. The photo below was taken by Mary Sue Ittner near Tulbagh August 2006 where it was growing in the rocks.

Photos 1-2 by Mary Sue Ittner show the unopened flowers and ones opening in the warmth of the cold frame. Photo 3 from Bill Dijk shows the red backs of the flowers. Photos 4-5 were taken by Nhu Nguyen.

Diuris

March 29, 2015, 5:18 pm

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Diuris punctata , syn. Diuris elongata, is a widespread and sometimes locally common species of moist grassland. It is known as the purple Donkey Orchd. It is found in the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia. Flower stems are from 20 to 60 cm. and the flower color varies white to mauve to purple and rarely yellow. This species grows well in cultivation. Photos taken by Andrew Harvie in Yengo National Park, New South Wales, showing variations in color in the same population.

Cipura

March 30, 2015, 5:35 pm

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Cipura paludosa grows in humid soils in the Pantanal in Brazil and Paraguay, photograph by Germán Roitman. It has a more extensive range than once thought, perhaps all the way to Colombia.

Dave Brastow encountered these plants, in mid-March, at the Explorer's Inn, in the Reserva Nacional Tambopata, Peru. This was definitely a jungle environment, with 30 C temps and 98% humidity. The flowers are about 3 cm across, and open early in the morning, closing by mid-day. There were multiple flowers, opening in daily succession. The leaves were pleated. The bulb was about 2 cm long by 1 cm across, with a brown tunic and roots coming from a basal plate about 5 cm deep in a heavy clay soil.

Peniocereus

March 31, 2015, 5:11 pm

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Peniocereus striatus [(Brandegee) Buxbaum] has fusiform tubers similar to Dahlia spp. It is the smallest Peniocereus, with stems just 2-3mm in diameter and stem spines that will not pierce most adult human skin. Its flowers open in the daytime and last several days. Spiny fruits follow, bright red when ripe. Stem cuttings form tuberous roots and in time cannot be distinguished from seed-grown plants. This plant, photographed by Leo A. Martin on May 25, 2013, grew in a 2" / 5cm plastic container before repotting. The first photo shows the entire plant against a US tape measure marked in inches. (1 inch = 2.54 cm) The second photo shows stem tips and a flower bud. Note spines on the bud. The third photo shows an open flower en face with a bud. The fourth photo shows this same flower and bud from the side. The fifth photo shows the lower portion of the stem and the roots. The stub just above the Y branching is the remnant of the original single stem, which broke when being moved several years ago; the broken piece rooted and is growing well, forming typical fusiform roots. The last photo shows the root system from below. Photos are copyright 2013, Leo A. Martin.

Resources
United States Department of Agriculture
http:plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PEST11

Southwest Environmental Information Network
http:swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=1679

Libertia

April 1, 2015, 5:16 pm

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Libertia grandiflora is native to New Zealand. It has long leathery iris like leaves and umbels of white flowers on stiff stems. It is surviving in my garden with little summer water, but probably would be happy with more. It blooms in spring. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner.

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Pelargonium Species Two

April 2, 2015, 5:22 pm

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Pelargonium fasciculaceum A tuberous plant from the Western Cape area of South Africa, where it grows on the Olifants River in sandy places and in mountain fynbos on the Nardous and Bokkeveld plateau. Flowers are pale yellow or cream and the upper two have v-shaped red markings. It flowers from December to January. The name refers to the large number of flowers forming a cluster as they diverge from a common centre.(Section Hoarea, Aciculatum Group). Photos David Victor.

Kabuyea

April 3, 2015, 5:09 pm

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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.

Hymenocallis

April 4, 2015, 5:02 pm

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Hymenocallis sonorensis is found along streams and valleys throughout Sonora, Mexico. The first photo taken September 2003, but the plant grew even larger and had several scapes in September 2004. Photos by Lee Poulsen.

Bongardia

April 5, 2015, 5:21 pm

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Bongardia chrysogonum (L.) Griseb. grows from 20-30 cm (8-12"). It grows from a large rounded tuber and has golden honey-scented flowers on branched, blue-green stems above spreading, pinnate, powdery grey-green leaves. Each leaflet has one or more indentations at the top and a gradually fading reddish-purple blotch. Balloon-like seed pods are produced before summer dormancy sets in. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). This plant is native to rocky, montane slopes and cultivated fields where summers are dry and winters are spent under snow. It is in flower in May. It needs to be kept cool and dry during dormancy and prefers a warm sunny position in summer with well-drained soil as it dislikes excessive moisture year round. The tuber is edible and is either roasted, baked or boiled. Leaves are also edible, either used raw or cooked like sorrel. Photos from Paige Woodward.

Moraea Species One

April 6, 2015, 5:05 pm

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Moraea albicuspa occurs in well watered mountain grassland in the southern Drakensberg mountains KwaZulu-Natal where it is usually found among rocks or in thick clumps. It has large cream to white flowers with reduced inner needle-like tepals. Photos 1-2, 4 taken by Cameron McMaster in the Eastern Cape. The first three were taken at Naude's Nek Pass in the Drakensberg and the fourth at Tiffendell. This area is high altitude grassland. The last two were taken at Maclear. The The third one was taken by Mary Sue Ittner and last one is from Bob Rutemoeller.