Ixia superba Life
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> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales
> Family: Iridaceae > Genus: Ixia
Distribution and habitat
Recorded from a small area at the foot of the Langeberg in
the Little Karoo, east of Montagu, Western Cape, South Africa; growing in loamy,
sandstone to light clay soils at the interface between Table Mountain Sandstone
and Bokkeveld shales (Goldblatt & Manning, 2004). Moraea gawleri,
Watsonia laccata and Elytropappus rhinocerotis were also growing in
the area.
Pheonology
Flowers early to mid September, probably also in late
August (Goldblatt & Manning, 2004).
Ecological interactions
Pollination
The flowers have the typical properties of a
monkey beetle pollination system in that the flowers are brightly coloured
with dark markings on the tepals, darkly coloured stamens, relatively long
anthers, and short style branches (Goldblatt & Manning, 2004). However, they
also produce a sweet odour, which one associates with bee pollination. This is
confirmed by the observations of both types of pollinators on these flowers
(Goldblatt & Manning, 2004):
Related species
Ixia superba is part of a series of Ixia
species in the Breede River valley (Western Cape, South Africa) with flowers
adapted for pollination by monkey beetles, separated from one another by
relatively short distances (Goldblatt & Manning, 2004). Listed from the top to
the bottom of the valley, they are as follows: Ixia vinacea (Tulbagh),
Ixia rouxii (Wolsley), Ixia mostertii (Romans River to Worcester),
Ixia vanzyliae (Worcester to Robertson), Ixia
atrandra (south of Worcester to Stettyn), Ixia superba
(Montagu), and Ixia gloriosa (Barrydale).
Origin of name
superba - from the Latin superbus, meaning
superb or excellent. This is in reference to the attractive, large, deep pink
and purple-black flowers (Goldblatt & Manning, 2004).
Publications
- Goldblatt P, Manning JC. 2004. New species of Ixia
(Crocoideae) and Moraea (Iridoideae), and taxonomic notes on some
other African Iridaceae. Novon 14: 288-298.
jstor
Text by Hamish Robertson; last updated 21 March 2013 |