Hesperantha longituba Baker

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Iridaceae > Hesperantha

Characteristics

Plants (60-)150-300 mm high. Corm ± ovoid, 10-18 mm diam.; tunics of dark brown, overlapping fibres notched below into sections. Stem simple or 1-branched from near base, sometimes with a short, sheathing bract-like leaf in upper half. Leaves 3 or 4, all basal or uppermost inserted in lower 1/3 of stem and sheathing part of stem, blades ± lanceolate, reaching to ± base of spike, (3-)5-9 mm wide, leathery, often dry or torn distally, margins slightly raised, hyaline when dry. Spike lightly flexuose, (1)2-to 6-flowered; outer bract green, 12-20(-30) mm long, inner bract ± membranous, shorter than outer. Flowers crepuscular, salver-shaped, white, outer tepals flushed pink to red or brown outside, sweetly scented; perianth tube mostly 14-22 mm long; tepals elliptic, spreading, 15-22 x 8-10 mm. Filaments 5-8 mm long; anthers 8-12 mm long, ?white; pollen ?white. Style branches 12-16 mm long, spreading, reaching to near anther tips in closed flower. Capsules ovoid-elliptic, ± 8 mm long. Seeds unknown.
More
Perennial herb, geophyte, 0.10-0.22 m high; corm ovoid, tunics with imbricate layers; stem erect, simple or bearing bracts at base. Leaves 3 or 4, basal or uppermost inserted shortly above ground, sheathing, margins hyaline, slightly raised. Bracts 15-20 mm long, herbaceous, margins hyaline. Inflorescence a 2-6-flowered spike, flexuose; flowers white, often pink or brownish on reverse of tepals, salver-shaped; perianth tube 12-18 mm long, exserted, straight, cylindrical; tepals ovate. Stamens up to 20 mm long; filaments 5-8 mm long; anthers 8-12 mm long, articulated. Ovary 4-5 mm long; style branches up to 16 mm long. Flowering time Aug.-Oct. Capsule ovoid.
Cormous geophyte, up to 220 mm high. Leaves with blade broad, leathery, glabrous, margins and midrib prominent. Flowers: open late afternoon and close after dark; stamens erect, filaments 3-6 mm long, anthers 3-9 mm long, yellow to whitish; style branches ascending to spreading, as long as or longer than stamens; perianth with tube 14-22 mm long, segments 15-20 mm long, white; Aug.-Oct.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.15 - 0.22
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity 1-3
Soil texture 7-8
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

Hesperantha longituba world distribution map, present in Lesotho and South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:438142-1
WFO ID wfo-0000782800
COL ID 6M3NL
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Hesperantha bicolor Hesperantha longituba Hesperantha candida var. bicolor Geissorhiza longituba