Codonorhiza azurea (eckl. ex Baker) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Iridaceae > Codonorhiza

Characteristics

Plants 70-180(-260) mm high. Corms 12-16 mm in diam., tunics blackish, basal rim split vertically. Stem 5-to 7-branched, branches subtended by bracts (1-)2-5 mm long, those below appearing leaf-like, stem compressed and winged. Leaves 2, lowermost inserted at ground level, largest, falcate, 50-120(-240) x (6-)10-15 mm, margins undulate and crisped, obtuse to subapiculate, with prominent main vein and a pair of secondary veins (rarely one) on either side almost as prominent, second leaf inserted near middle of stem, 20-70 mm long, oblong-lanceolate, margins ± straight, not or hardly sheathing at base. Inflorescence a congested, flat-topped false panicle, flowers crowded at branch tips, ultimate branchlets with 1 or 2 sessile flowers; bracts green, firm-textured, 9-11 mm long, outer folded in midline, margins often red, inner obtuse or slightly emarginate. Flowers zygomorphic, tilted backward, dark blue to violet, with triangular, dark blue-black or red-purple blotch at base of lower 3 and sometimes adjacent upper lateral tepals; perianth tube funnel-shaped, 10-12 mm long; tepals elliptic-ovate, obtuse, mostly 17-20 x 7-8 mm. Filaments unilateral, ascending or extended horizontally due to adaxial tilting of flower, 11-15 mm long, exserted for 8-10 mm; anthers 3-5 mm long; pollen dark blue or red-brown. Style dividing opposite upper 1/3 of anthers; branches 2.5-3.0 mm long, divided for ± 1/2 their length. Capsules ± top-shaped and 3-lobed, ± 6 mm long, with up to 8 seeds per locule. Seeds red-brown, ovoid, truncate at chalazal end, rugulo-reticulate, ± 1.0 x 1.0-1.3 mm, with funicular appendage 0.2-0.4 mm long.
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Cormous geophyte, 6-12 cm. Leaf blades plane, falcate, broad, margins often undulate. Flowers in corymbose panicles, deep blue with blackish markings on lower tepals, stamens unilateral, pollen dark blue to brown.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.07 - 0.18
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
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Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture 1-2
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 -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Codonorhiza azurea world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77150791-1
WFO ID wfo-0001343994
COL ID WPYJ
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Lapeirousia azurea Codonorhiza azurea Lapeirousia corymbosa var. azurea Lapeirousia corymbosa var. grandiflora