Boophone haemanthoides
Kwaslelie, Gifbol [Afrikaans]
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants)
> Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales
> Family: Amaryllidaceae > Boophone
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Boophone haemanthoides, Jacobsbaai (north
of Saldanha Bay), Western Cape, South Africa. [image Charles Stirton ©,
from iNaturalist] |
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Boophone haemanthoides, Diknek Spoeg River
banks s farmstead, Namaqualand, Northern Cape, South Africa. [image Tony
Rebelo, from
iNaturalist] |
Distribution and habitat
Distribution extends from Namaqualand in the
Northern Cape to Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape and also including
the Bokkeveld Plateau. Associated with sandy soils or dolerite
outcrops or limestone (Manning et al. 2002; Goldblatt and
Manning 2000).
Life cycle
Information mainly from Manning et al.
(2002).
- Has a large bulb up to 18 cm in
diameter.
- Like Boophone disticha, the leaves form in a
distinctive fan shape that is reminiscent of an open book. The leaves are dead at the
time of flowering.
- Flowers from November to February. The flowers are different
from Boophone disticha in that they are on shorter
peduncles, forming a brush-like cluster, and are
surrounded by two large, erect, spathe bracts.
- Evidently pollinated by bees and flies (PlantzAfrica).
- Once the fruit start developing, the pedicels grow further
forming a large ball-shaped structure, as is the case with
Boophone disticha. This eventually dries out
and the force of the wind breaks it off at the top of the scape.
It is blown around on the ground with seeds dislodged from their
capsules onto the ground. This form of wind-driven seed
dispersal is also found in the amaryllid genera Brunsvigia,
Crossyne, Hessea and Strumaria but in these the scape
breaks off at its base rather than at the top.
Links
Publications
- Leighton FM. 1947. Boophone haemanthoides. Journal
of South African Botany 13: 59-61.
- Manning J, Goldblatt P. 1996.
West Coast. South African Wild Flower Guide 7. Botanical Society of
Southern Africa, Kirstenbosch. p. 46
- Manning J, Goldblatt P. 1997.
Nieuwoudtville - Bokkeveld Plateau & Hantam. South African Wild Flower Guide
9. A Guide to the Wild Flowers of Nieuwoudtville, Calvinia, Botterkloof
. Botanical Society of Southern Africa, Kirstenbosch. p. 56
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Goldblatt P, Manning J. 2000. Cape Plants - A Conspectus of the Cape
Flora of South Africa. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria and
Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Missouri.
-
Manning J, Goldblatt P, Snijman D. 2002. The Color
Encyclopedia of Cape Bulbs. Timber Press, Portland.
Text by Hamish Robertson |
