Eriospermum cervicorne

82. Eriospermum cervicorne Marloth, S. Afr. Gard 19: 327(1929); Duthie, Ann. Univ. Stellenb. 18(A2): 52(1940). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, Springbok, Meyer sub Marloth 6983 (PRE: holotype).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, solitary, inflorescence up to 120 mm high.

Tuber simple, pyriform to oblong or irregular in shape, up to 70 mm long and 40 mm wide; skin brown, interior pink becoming maroon red in the older part; growing point lateral to basal.

Old leaf sheaths up to 100 mm long and 5 mm diameter widening to 18 mm at ground level, light brown, membranous.

Leaf solitary, sub-erect or spreading horizontally; contemporary leaf sheath exserted up to 40 mm, up to 4 mm diameter, maroon red, glabrous or covered with curly, white hairs; lamina narrowly to broadly ovate-cordate, acute, up to 20 mm long and 15 mm wide, apex often recurved, abaxial surface reddish-green, sparsely hairy, adaxial surface dark green, producing few to numerous branched enations, more or less terete, up to 45 mm long and 3 mm wide, dark green, fleshy, sparsely to densely covered with curly white hairs.

Peduncular bract barely exserted or up to 5 mm, upper 3 mm non-sheathing, ovate, apex acute, retrorse, green with red streaking, glabrous; margin red.

Peduncle 35-60 mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm diameter, glaucous with red striations, glabrous.

Raceme cylindrical with a pointed apex, up to 70 mm long, 25 mm wide at the base, with up to 21 flowers.

Bracts triangular, sometimes somewhat cymbiform or spurred, 1.0-1.5 mm long with acuminate apex, membranous, transparent with a reddish-brown midnerve.

Pedicels erecto-patent, arcuate, lower up to 10 mm long, upper slightly shorter.

Flowers triangular, spreading, up to 14 mm diameter.

Tepals dimorphic, connate for 1.5 mm at the base, white with a dark green midnerve overlaid with faint red striations; outer tepals spreading with a recurved sometimes slightly twisted apex, narrowly elliptic to linear, attenuate, 7-8 mm long and 2 mm wide, inner suberect, spathulate with a crisped, connivent apex, 6-7 mm long and 2 mm wide.

Filaments forming a ring round the ovary with anthers touching, subequal, outer adnate about 1 mm up the tepals, triangular, 2 mm long and 1.0-1.3 mm wide at the base, white with purple blotches; inner adnate nearly 2 mm up the tepals, 1.8 mm long and 1 mm wide at the base, white.

Ovary subglobose, 1.8 mm long and wide, dark green, spotted red between the locules.

Style cylindrical, 1.8 mm long, white.

Flowering time: March to April.

Leafing period: April to October.

Distribution and habitat: E.cervicorne is comparatively rare, centred in northern Namaqualand, where it has been found in loamy soil amongst granite rocks. It has outlying localities in the south near Bitterfontein and in the Tanqua Karoo (Figure 146).

Diagnostic features: E.cervicorne appears to be closest to E.multifidum and may be separated from that species by the less numerous, slightly broader and shorter enations which are sparsely to densely covered with curly white hairs, as opposed to the narrower, bright green, glabrous enations of E.multifidum. The inflorescence in E.cervicorne is less dense and the pedicels somewhat longer. The type specimen quoted by Marloth, no. 6983, was collected by Rev.G.Meyer near Steinkopf according to Marloth's description. However, the label on the Pretoria specimen records that it was from Springbok. A second specimen on the same sheet, no. 13416 is from Steinkopf. Although Marloth described the leaf and enations as glabrous, the usual long white hairs are clearly visible on the type specimen. The material at Stellenbosch was apparently produced from tubers cultivated over a number of years.

Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)

Eriospermum proliferum

57. Eriospermum proliferum Baker, J. Linn. Soc. 15: 267 (1876); .Marloth, S. Afr. Gard.l9: 326 (1929); Duthie, Ann. Univ. Stellenb.l8(A2): 46 ( 1940). Type: Drawing at Kew, Bowie s.n. (K, holotype).
Eriospermum folioliferum Ker-Gawl.. Bot. Re g. t. 795 (1824). non Andrews, Bot. Rep. t.521 (1808).
E.fasciculatum A. V. Duthie, Ann. Univ. Stellenb. 2(A3): 12 (1924); Ann. Bolus Herb. 9: 29 (1925). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, Stellenbosch Flats. Duthie 1356 (PRE, STE).
E. setiferum V. Poelln., Feddes Repert. 52: 123 (1943). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, Caledon, Schlechter 7595 (K).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, solitary or clump-forming, inflorescence up to 300 mm high.

Tuber simple or with proliferating stolons, pyriform to irregular, up to 30 mm long and 15 mm wide; skin thin, light brown, interior pale to deeper pink: growing point basal to lateral; stolons one to several per tuber, 3 mm wide and up to 60 mm long with roots at intervals.

Old leaf sheaths up to 90 mm long, membranous, becoming fibrous at ground level.

Leaf solitary, erect; contemporary leaf sheath exserted up to 25 mm, reddish, sparsely or densely pubescent; lamina held horizontally, ovate-cordate, up to 60 mm long and 35 mm wide, adaxial surface frequently covered with few to numerous unbranched, terete enations, up to 60 mm long and 2 mm wide; lamina then reduced in size to about 5 mm long and wide; lamina and enations almost glabrous or well covered with short straight or curly hairs; the enations considerably variable in number, length and thickness.

Peduncular bract barely exserted, ovate attenuate, apex retrorse, white, membranous, pinkish-red.

Peduncle up to 220 mm long and 1 mm diameter, green with red streaking especially at the base.

Raceme lax, up to 90 mm long, 35 mm wide, with up to 26 flowers.

Bracts triangular attenuate, 1.0-1.5 mm long, membranous, white with a thin brown midnerve.

Pedicels 25 mm long, pale green, arcuate, with flowers facing upwards.

Flowers campanulate, becoming spreading with a triangular outline when fully open, 12 mm diameter.

Tepals dimorphic, white with a dark green midnerve, overlaid with red streaking; outer tepals spreading, elliptic attenuate, apex recurved, 5 mm long and 2 mm wide, inner erect, broadly spathulate, with a crisped connivent apex. 5 mm long and 3 mm wide.

Filaments dimorphic, white, outer 1.3 mm long and wide, inner adnate 1 mm up the tepals, 1 mm long and 0.8 mm wide.

Ovary globose, 1.5 mm long and wide, green.

Style cylindrical, 1.5-2.0 mm long, white.

Flowering time: February to March.

Leafing period: April to October.

Distribution and habitat: E.proliferum has a wide distribution in the winter rainfall area of the Cape. It appears to be concentrated in the south west corner of the Province but that may be due to higher collecting activity as much as to actual distribution. It is usually found in rocky, shady places on well-drained clayey or sandy soils amongst Karoo or Fynbos vegetation (Figure 103).

Diagnostic features: This is a distinctive species in the leafing stage when plants are fully developed. The hairines of the leaf sheath and the long, thin hairy enations are unlike those in any other species. The rather few-flowered, dainty inflorescence helps to separate E.proliferum from similar species with dimorphic tepals (Figure 104).

Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)

Eriospermum folioliferum

71. Eriospermum folioliferum Andrews, Bot. Rep. t.521 (1808); Schultes & Schultes Syst. Veg. 7(1): 505 (1829); Duthie, Ann. Univ. Stellenb. 18(A2): 36 (1940); non Ker-Gawl., Bot Mag. t. 1382 (1811 ); Lindl., Edwards Bot. Re g. t. 795 (1824 ). Type: South Africa, Cape of Good Hope, Cult. in London, Fig. in Bot. Rep. t. 521 (lectotype).
Phylloglottis foliolifera (Andrews) Salisb. Gen. Pl. 15 (1866).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, solitary, inflorescence up to 400 mm high.

Tuber pyriform, becoming irregular in shape with age, up to 50 mm long, 40 mm wide, skin light brown, interior dark red; growing point basal to lateral.

Old leaf sheaths up to 100 mm long, membranous to fibrous, dark brown.

Leaf solitary, erect: contemporary leaf sheath exserted up to 40 mm, white, flushed red towards the lamina: lamina held horizontally, ovate-cordate, acute, apex retrorse, up to 60 mm long, 40 mm wide; abaxial surface whitish flushed red, glabrous; adaxial surface green, producing up to 50 flat, unbranched, slightly twisted enations, each up to 90 mm long and 5 mm wide, all covered with white trichomes; enations more closely packed near the leaf sheath and absent from the apex.

Peduncular bract seldom exserted above ground, non-sheathing part up to 4 mm long, brown, membranous.

Peduncle up to 280 mm long, 1 mm diameter, reddish-green at the base becoming green above.

Raceme variable, subspicate or lax, up to 140 mm long, 10 mm wide, with up to 22 flowers.

Bracts narrowly trianguiar, 1 mm long, membranous with a dark brown midnerve.

Pedicels may all be only 2 mm long or lowest up to 10 mm long, erecto-patent.

Flowers campanulate to spreading forming a triangular outline when fully opened, about 12 mm diameter.

Tepals dimorphic, white with a green midnerve, flecked with red; outer tepals spreading, elliptic, 4.5 mm long and 2 mm wide, inner erect, spathulate with crimped and fimbriate apex, nearly 4 mm long and 2 mm at the widest part.

Filaments dimorphic, bright tomato red or white. flecked red; outer ovate. about 2 mm long and 1.3 mm wide, the inner broadly triangular, 1.8 mm long and less than 1 mm wide at the base.

Ovary globose to ovoid, 1.5 mm long and wide, yellowish-green, sometimes with dark maroon stippling.

Style cylindrical, 1.5 mm long, white.

Flowering time: December to January.

Leafing period: April to September.

Distribution and habitat: Centred in northern Namaqualand E.folioliferum exists as far south as Nuwerus. It grows mainly on stony, well-drained ground (Figure 128).

Diagnostic features: E.folioliferum is a very distinctive species in the vegetative stage with its ovate leaf producing numerous flat, unbranched enations covered with white hairs (Figure 129).

An article by Troll (1938) includes an illustration of a plant named by Marloth as E.verrucosum with the number Marloth 13726. This is a manuscript name and the specimen is clearly E.folioliferum.

Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)

Eriospermum paradoxum

Eriospermum paradoxum (Jacq.) Ker-Gawl., Bot. Mag. t. 1382 (1811); Schultes & Schultes. Syst. Veg. 7(1): 305 (1829); Kunth, Enum. 4: 654 (1843); Baker, J. Linn. Soc. 15: 267 (1876); Duthie. Ann. Univ. Stellenb. 18(A2): 54 (1940).
Ornithogalum paradoxum Jacq .. Collect. Suppl. 81 (1796); Willd., Spec. 2: 115 (1799). Type: Figure in Jacquin Collect. Suppl. t.1 (1796) (lectotype).
Thaumaza paradoxa (Jacq.) Salisb., Gen. Pl. 15 (1866).
E.vallisgratiae Schltr. ex V. Poelln., Feddes Repert. 53: 124 (1944). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, Genadendal. Schlechter 10333 (BM, K, G, GRA, MO, Z).
E.nlindricum Marloth. S. Afr. Gard. 19: 327 (1929). Type: South Africa, Cape Province. near Karoopoort, Marloth 9145 (PRE).
E.arenicolum V. Poelln .. Feddes Repert. 52(1): 122 (1943). Schultes & Schultes, Syst. Veg. 7(1): 305 (1829): Kunth, Enum Pl. 4: 654 (1843). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, Worseley (Ceres Road), Schlechter 8994 (NH, PRE).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, solitary, foliage up to 100 mm high.

Tuber simple, oblong to irregularly-shaped. up to 50 mm long, 25 mm wide, skin greyish-brown, interior pink to maroon-red in the older parts: growing point basal to lateral with a groove.

Old leaf sheaths up to 90 mm long, 10 mm wide, greyish-brown, membranous.

Leaf solitary erect; contemporary leaf sheath exserted up to 30 mm, 3 mm diameter, white and glabrous at ground level becoming reddish and covered with short curly hairs above; lamina ovate-cordate 7 mm long, 6 mm wide, reddish and almost glabrous abaxially, adaxial surface hairy, with a single long profusely branched enation forming a rounded or narrow to broadly cylindrical head up to 110 mm long and 30 mm wide; hairs few to very numerous and curly giving a woolly appearance.

Peduncular hract barely exserted.

Peduncle up to 25 mm long, 1.5 mm diameter, pale green with fine red streaking, covered with short curly hairs, occasionally glabrous.

Raceme densely conical to cylindrical up to 90 mm long, 35 mm wide, with up to 40 flowers.

Bracts up to 3 mm long, membranous, white with a green and red streaked midnerve, covered with curly hairs.

Pedicels up to 6 mm long sometimes sparsely hairy.

Flowers sweetly scented, spreading, up to 17 mm diameter.

Tepals sub-equal, white with a light green midnerve covered with few red streaks; the outer ligulate, 12 mm long, 2 mm wide, the inner narrowly spathulate, 10 mm long, 2.5 mm wide.

Filaments equal, 9 mm long, 1 mm wide at the base very gradually tapering to the anther, white.

Ovary globose, 2 mm diameter, bright green.

Style cylindrical, 6 mm long, white.

Flowering time: April to May.

Leafing period: May to October.

Distribution and habitat: E.paradoxum is distributed widely in the winter rainfail area of the Cape Province, from the Richtersveld in the north-west to near Grahamstown in the south-east. It is found on sandy flats amongst Fynbos vegetation or on clayey soils amongst karroid shrubs (Figure 62).

Diagnostic features: The compact inflorescence of comparatively large, scented white flowers is so distinctive that E.paradoxum cannot be confused with any other species of Eriospermum. The much-branched enation on the leaf is also very distinctive (Figure 63).

According to Duthie (1940) the type material was probably collected by Boos & Scholl and grown at Schonbrun. It was figured and described by Jacquin in 1796 under the name Ornithogalum paradoxum.

Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)

Eriospermum flabellatum

78. Eriospermum flabellatum Marloth ex P.L.Perry, Jl.S.Afr.Bot.50(4):518(1984). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, 18 km from Laingsburg towards Ladismith, Bayer 515 (NBG, holotype).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, solitary, foliage up to 80 mm high.

Tuber irregularly-shaped, up to 45 mm wide and 25 mm high; skin light brown, interior red; growing point basal to lateral.

Old leaf sheaths up to 80 mm long, greyish-brown.

Leaf solitary; contemporary leaf sheath exserted 40 mm, wiry, 0.5 mm diameter, light brown, glabrous; lamina greatly reduced, ovate or orbicular-cordate, up to 6 mm across, dark green, glabrous, margin revolute; adaxial surface covered with about 20 enations, narrowly terete with 2 4 branches in the upper half, up to 20 mm long, barely 1 mm diameter, dark shiny green.

Peduncular bract not appearing above ground level.

Peduncle up to 40 mm long, 1.0 mm diameter, reddish, glabrous.

Raceme narrowly conical, compact, up to 28 mm long and 12 mm wide, with up to 28 flowers.

Bracts deltate attenuate, 1 mm long, membranous, with a reddish-brown midnerve, semi-amplexicaul, somewhat spurred.

Pedicels up to 2.5 mm long in flower, patent.

Flowers triangular, about 7 mm diameter.

Tepals dimorphic, white with a green and red flecked midnerve; outer erecto-patent, elliptic with rounded apex, 4.5 mm long and 2 mm wide, inner erect, spathulate with a slightly crimped, retrorse apex, 4.5 mm long and up to 2mm wide.

Filaments erect in a ring round the ovary, sub-equal, adnate to the base of the tepals for 1 mm; outer broadly lanceolate, 1.3 mm long and barely 1 mm wide, incurved, inner 1.5 mm long and less than 1 mm wide; anthers yellow.

Ovary globose, 1.5 mm long and wide, green.

Style cylindrical, 1.3 mm long, white.

Flowering time: March to April.

Leafing period: April to October.

Distribution and habitat: E.flabellatum appears to have a limited distribution in an area from the vicinity of Laingsburg to Barrydale in the southern part of the Great Karoo. It grows in dry stony areas among succulents and karroid bushes (Figure 138).

Diagnostic features: The leaf enations and small inflorescence make E.flabellatum clearly distinguishable from all other species with the exception of E.bowieanum. However the contemporary leaf sheath in E.flabellatum is longer, more wiry and light brown in colour in comparison to the thicker, white sheath of E.bowieanum. The leaf enations are more consistent in length, more slender and a dark, shiny green in E.flabellatum, not dull, glaucous green as in E.bowieanum. The inflorescence is spicate in E.bowieanum with small globose-like flowers wheras E.flabellatum has distinct pedicels and spreading flowers (Figure 140).

Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)

Eriospermum sabulosum

80. Eriospermum sabulosum P.L.Perry sp.nov., vagina folii nigricante lamina minuta et projecturis paucis anguste teretibus ramificantibus distinguendum est. Type: South Africa, Cape Province, Namaqualand, 3 km from old main road towards Spoegrivier, Snijman 1122, (NBG, holotypus).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, solitary, foliage up to 70 mm high, inflorescence 30 mm.

Tuber pyriform, up to 35 mm high and 15 mm wide; skin light brown, interior white; growing point basal, with a lateral groove for the shoot.

Old leaf sheaths 30-35 mm long, about 2 mm diameter, light brown, membranous when young becoming darker with age.

Leaf solitary, erect; contemporary leaf sheath terete, exserted up to 70 mm,1 .&l .5 mm diameter, shiny, dark maroon, almost black, glabrous; lamina greatly reduced, broadly ovate-cordate, up to 7 mm long and 7 mm wide, apex retrorse, glaucous green; enations few (4-7), terete, irregularly 2-4 times branched, up to 45 mm long and barely 1 mm diameter, apex pointed, mucronate; lamina and enations entirely glabrous.

Peduncular bract barely reaching ground level, non-sheathing for 1-2 mm, apex retrorse, somewhat fleshy, whitish with red streaking towards the apex.

Peduncle 20 mm long, 1 mm diameter, glaucous green with dark purplish-red streaking.

Raceme compact, about 12 mm long and 13 mm wide, with about 7 flowers.

Bracts ovate attenuate, 1.0-1.5 mm long, membranous, transparent with a brown midnerve. Pedicels 2-3 mm long, erecto-patent.

Flowers triangular in outline, up to 7 mm diameter.

Tepals dimorphic, connate at the base only, white with a green midnerve and red streaking surrounding the midnerve; outer tepals spreading, narrowly elliptic-attenuate to linear, 4 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, inner erect, lanceolate, apex denticulate and curved over the anthers.

Filaments adnate nearly 1 mm up the tepals, sub-equal, triangular, 2 mm long and barely 1 mm wide, bright orange.

Ovary subglobose to ovoid, 1.5 mm long and wide, green.

Style cylindrical, 1.5 mm long, white.

Flowering time: March.

Leafing period: April to October.

Distribution and habitat: So far E.sabulosum is known only from one population south west of Kamieskroon. It occurs on coarse sand flats, near a granite outcrop.

Diagnostic features: The terete, dark maroon contemporary leaf sheath and tiny leaf with a few long, thin, glabrous and somewhat glaucous, branched, enations are quite distinctive. The white-fleshed tuber and small inflorescence also separate E.sabulosum from other species with similar enations such as E.cervicorne (Figure 143).

Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)

Eriospermum armianum

77. Eriospermum armianum P.L. Perry sp. nov., E.bowieani lamina simile sed pedunculo longiore et flore majore distinguendum est. Type: South Africa, Cape Province, Springbok, Hermanusvlei, Mitchell1179 (NBG, holotypus; K, MO).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, inflorescence up to 100 mm high.

Tuber simple or multiple, irregularly-shaped, up to 28 mm long and 22 mm wide: skin rough, greyish-brown, interior pink; growing point lateral.

Old leaf sheaths 20 mm long, 1.5 mm diameter.

Leaf solitary, erect; contemporary leaf sheath exserted up to 28 mm, 1.5-2.0 mm diameter, green; lamina ovate-cordate, up to 18 mm long and 12 mm wide; adaxial surface with enations arising in a bunch from near the sheath insertion, about 20, terete, up to 38 mm long and 1.0-1.5 mm diameter, unbranched or with one branch near the apex; lamina and enations glabrous, glaucous green.

Peduncular bract barely visible above ground.

Peduncle 75 mm long, 1 mm diameter, dark purplish-red at the base, green above.

Raceme sub-corymbose, lax, 30 mm long and up to 30 mm wide, with up to 8 flowers.

Bracts triangular, attenuate, sometimes slightly winged, 2 mm long, folded around the base of the pedicel, membranous, colourless with a pale greenish-brown midnerve.

Pedicels erecto-patent, arcuate, up to 10 mm long, greenish.

Flowers triangular, spreading, 12-13 mm diameter.

Tepals dimorphic, connate for 0.5 mm at the base, white with a green midnerve overlaid with fine red streaking; outer spreading to recurved, narrowly oblanceolate, attenuate, 7 mm long and up to 2 mm wide; inner erecto-patent to spreading, obovate, apex rounded, 5.5-6.0 mm long and 2.8-3.0 mm wide, margin irregularly denticulate along the rounded apex.

Filaments erect forming a ring round the ovary, dimorphic, white, outer adnate to the base of the tepals for 1.3 mm, lanceolate to narrowly ovate, apiculate, arched, 2.5 mm long and lmm at the widest part near the base, gradually tapering to the anther, inner adnate nearly 2 mm up the tepals, narrowly triangular, apiculate, 1.5 mm long and 1 mm wide.

Ovary ovoid, 2 mm long and 1.8 mm wide, pale green with very fine red stippling, especially forming lines at the side of the locule divisions.

Style cylindrical, 1.5 mm long, white.

Flowering time: March.

Leafing period: April to October.

Distribution and habitat: E.armianum is so far known only from one collection from the vicinity of Springbok, where an extensive population was found on talus on a cliff edge, partially shaded by shrubs (Figure 138).

Distinguishing features: In leaf this species is difficult to separate from E.bowieanum but the distributions of the two species are quite distinct. They are clearly separated in the flowering stage as E.bowieanum has a very small inflorescence with tiny almost globose flowers whereas those of E.armianum are larger (12-13 mm diameter) with spreading tepals (Figure 139).

E.armianum is named after the collector, A.R. Mitchell, whose thorough field work in Namaqualand and Bushmanland has brought to light a number of previously unknown species.

Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)

Eriospermum alcicorne

83. Eriospermum alcicorne Baker, F1. Cap. 6: 377(1896); Duthie, Ann. Univ. Stellenb. 18(A2): 39(1940). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, near Zuurpoort, Sneeuwberg Range, Bolus838 (K,lectotype here designated;STE).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, solitary or clump-forming, inflorescence up to 80mm high.

Tuber simple, lobed or with stolons, pyriform to irregular in shape, up to 30mm long and 15mm wide, with short wiry roots; stolons up to 50mm long and 3mm diameter; skin light brown, interior whitish to pale pink, growing point basal to lateral.

Old leaf sheaths up to 70mm long, smooth to fibrous, light to greyish-brown.

Leaf one per growing point, erect; contemporary leaf sheath exserted up to 30mm, 1mm diameter, white at the base, becoming pale green above, sometimes densely covered with red striations giving a purple appearance, glabrous; lamina ovate to orbicular cordate, 22mm from the apex to the base and 17mm wide, glabrous or occasionally with a few scattered curly hairs especially along the margin; abaxial surface similar in colour to the leaf sheath or with a light silvery-grey sheen, adaxial surface glaucous, frequently bearing 2-18 enations; enations unbranched or shortly branched near the apex, irregular in size and shape, up to 25mm long and 2mm wide, the longest, near the base of the lamina, flat, glabrous or occasionally with a few scattered hairs.

Peduncular bract exserted 5-10mm, ovate, acute, with a retrorse apex, fleshy, bright green or reddish tinged.

Peduncle up to 50mm long, 1mm diameter, green covered with red streaking more dense at the base Raceme conical, up to 25mm long and 25mm wide, with up to 35 flowers.

Bracts triangular, attenuate, apex twisted, 1.5mm long, membranous, whitish with a red midnerve.

Pedicels up to 7mm long, erecto-patent.

Flowers becoming spreading with a triangular outline when fully opened,up to 12mm diameter, sweet scented.

Tepals dimorphic, white with a green midnerve and varying amounts of red streaking;outer tepals spreading with recurved apices, elliptic,acute, 7mm long and 2mm wide, inner erecto-patent, not hiding the stamens, spathulate with irregularly fimbriate apices, 5mm long, 2mm wide.

Filaments dimorphic, adnate 1mm up the tepals, white with varying amounts of maroon streaking; the outer ovate, 1.5mm long, the inner broadest at the base and gradually narrowing to the anther; anthers white to yellowish.

Ovary ovoid to globose, 2mm long and wide, green with maroon streaking.

Style cylindrical, 2.5mm long, white.

Flowering time: January to April.

Leafing period: April to October.

Distriblition and habitat: E.alcicorne has a wide distribution in the arid parts of the Cape winter rainfall area, extending from northern Namaqualand to the Worcester district in the south and eastwards to the Willowmore district. It occurs on both clayey and sandy soils (Figure147).

Diagnostic features: The small, ovate, glaucous, leaf with flat, branched or unbranched enations makes E.alcicorne easy to recognize in the vegetative stage (Figure148).

Duthie's(1940) suggestion that a specimen which Dinter found north of the Orange River with enations might be E.alcicorne remains to be confirmed. This specimen was presumably lost during World War 2 and no other records exist for Eriospermum species with enations in Namibia.

Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)

Eriospermum bowieanum

79. Eriospermum bowieanum Baker, J . Linn. Soc. 15: 267 (1876); Duthie, Ann. Univ. Stellenb. 18(A2): 42 (1940). Type: Figure made from plants cult. in hort. Kew, precise origin unknown, Bowie s.n. (K, lectotype). Eriospermum coralliferum Marloth, S. Afr. Gard. 19: 326 (1929). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, karroid veld near Robertson, Marloth 13586 (STE).

Plants with hysteranthous leaves, solitary, foliage up to 100 mm high.

Tuber simple and unlobed, oblong, up to 55 mm long and 38 mm wide; skin light brown, interior pink to maroon red: growing point basal to lateral with a groove for the shoot.

Old leaf sheaths up to 70 mm long and 5 mm wide, spreading to 15 mm near ground level, membranous, greyish-brown.

Leaf solitary, sub-erect; contemporary leaf sheath exserted up to 40 mm, 3 mm diameter, pink tinged at the extreme base, white above, glabrous; lamina ovate-cordate, up to 10 mm long and 10 mm wide, glaucous, glabrous; margin revolute; adaxial surface producing a number of erect, stout, terete enations up to 50 mm long and 1-2 mm diameter, obtuse or slightly clavate, simple or branched, arising in a cluster from the base of the lamina, glaucous, glabrous.

Peduncular bract barely exserted, non-sheathing part about 3 mm long, green, apex retrorse.

Peduncle 25 mm long, wiry.

Raceme dense, spicate, up to 30 mm long and 13 mm wide, with up to 20 flowers.

Bracts triangular, somewhat saccate, up to 2 mm long, membranous, white with areddish-brown midnerve.

Pedicels 1.0-1.5 mm long.

Flowers small, globose to partly spreading in sunlight, up to 7 mm diameter.

Tepals dimorphic, connate at the base only, white with a green midnerve overlaid with red stippling especially on the outer tepals; outer tepals lanceolate, 5 mm long and 1.8 mm wide, inner spathulate with slightly irregular, denticulate apical margins, 4 mm long and 2.3 mm wide.

Filaments adnate to the base of the tepals, broadly lanceolate, 1.3 mm long, outer slightly broader than the inner, white; anthers yellow.

Ovary globose, 1.3 mm long and wide, pale green sometimes with pale purplish spotting.

Style cylindrical, 1.5 mm long, white.

Flowering time: February to March.

Leafing period: April to September.

Distribution and habitat: E.bowieanum is restricted to the Worcester/Robertson area where it grows on clayey soils amongst low karroid bushes (Figure 141).

Diagnostic features: E.bowieanum may be distinguished by the small glaucous green leaf with enations which are terete and glabrous. Another species with similar enations, E.armianum, has a separate distribution in Namaqualand. Although very similar in the leafing stage the two species are quite distinct in flower, E.bowieanum having a stunted peduncle and compact inflorescence only about 55 mm long in total, with small globose flowers, whereas in E.armianum the peduncle and inflorescence are 105 mm long and the largish flowers are triangular in outline and spreading (Figure 142)





















Reference: Pauline L. Perry, A REVISION OF THE GENUS ERIOSPERMUM (Eriospermaceae)