Bulbine torsiva G.Will.

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Asphodelaceae > Bulbine

Characteristics

Plants deciduous herbs, 6-11 cm high, arising from dorsiventrally flattened pyramidal tubers 1-1.5 cm high and 2-3 cm broad, with spreading, horizontal roots. Leaves 2-3, light green, erect, subtended by up to 5 tight, papyraceous, white-spotted sheaths, 4 mm-1.5 cm long and 2-4 mm broad. Leaves subterete, acute, forming tight spirals, 5-8 cm long when flattened and 1.5-2 mm in diameter. Inflorescence erect, solitary; peduncle averaging 5 cm long, to 15 cm in robust specimens after un-seasonal late rains, ca. 1.5 mm thick; raceme 2.5-6 cm long. Flowers 6-12, all tepals tightly reflexed towards pedicel; bract narrowly triangular, membranous, 0.8-1 mm long, pedicels 8 mm long, deflexed at 45°, with flowers drooping, only opening after midday; tepals very light yellow with green to orange central vein, outer elliptic, subacute, 5-7 x 1.3-2 mm, inner elliptical, subacute, 5-7 x 2.5-4 mm. Filaments rather stout, dimorphic, bearded, ca. 5-6 mm long, outer filaments all recurved towards tepals, with single cushion of hairs projecting towards the anther, the inner laterally flattened, projecting forwards with a double cushion of hairs; hairs finely clavate with bulbous apex, 1.8 mm long; anthers oblong, 0.8 mm long, pollen brownish. Ovary globose to oblong, dark green to brown, 1.5 mm long, style yellow, very slender, 4 mm long, stigma very small, green. Capsule subglobose to oblong, ca. 2 mm long; seed black, pyramidal, with undulate ridges and granulate surface, 1-1.5 mm long.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention
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Mature height (meter) 0.06 - 0.11
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Environment

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Usage

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Edible -
Therapeutic use -
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Cultivation

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Distribution

Bulbine torsiva world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:993465-1
WFO ID wfo-0000762427
COL ID NQ3V
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Bulbine torsiva