Bulbine spongiosa Van Jaarsv.

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Asphodelaceae > Bulbine

Characteristics

Plants geophytes, at first solitary, the tubers proliferating from the side filling crevices. Tubers dark brown conical 16-22 mm high x 15-18 mm wide at the truncate base. Roots grey-brown from the perimeter of the tuber, up to 5 mm wide at the base and 5-10 cm long, tapering. Leaf bases amplexicaul, persistent and weathering leaving a few dry fibres. Leaves erect 2-3 (functional leaves appearing during autumn), 90-200 x 5-8 mm ascending, linear-lanceolate, soft textured and faintly translucent, pale grey green obscurely striate, tapering, the base in a tight, amplexicaul neck up to 20 mm long, the tunics white; upper side flat to channelled, convex or rounded below; surface smooth, wrinkled when withering; margin entire; inner surface (mesophyll) distinctly spongy (bearing cavities); apex acute. Inflorescence 135-220 mm long, sparsely flowered (6-20 flowers) in upper quarter; raceme up to 45-70 mm long; peduncle up to 3 mm diam. at base, biconvex, grey-green; bracts deltoid, up to 3 x 0.75 mm, acuminate, clasping; pedicles 10-15 mm long. Perianth stellate, ± 16-20 mm diam.; Tepals pale yellow with greenish yellow median stripes, apices obtuse; outer tepals narrowly oblanceolate, up to10 x 4 mm; inner tepals elliptic to elliptic-oblanceolate, up to 10 x 4.5 mm. Stamens up to 5 mm long, bearded in central part, with hairs 1-2 mm long. Ovary obovoid, up to 1.5 mm diam.; style erect, up to 6 mm long. Capsule obovate, up to 5-7 x 3-4 mm, ascending. Seeds 1.5-2 x 1.5 mm, grey-brown, angular.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support -
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality -
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.02 - 0.02
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
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Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture 5-6
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) -

Usage

Uses -
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
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Optimum temperature (C°) -
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Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Bulbine spongiosa world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77151376-1
WFO ID wfo-0001344297
COL ID NQ3K
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Bulbine spongiosa