I find that the robustness/thickness of the spathe valve a difficult character to discern for someone who has never had the chance to compare different species to each other. I think once you have had the chance to compare them in person, it makes that character much easier. Unfortunately it is a character that is often used in Snjiman's Haemanthus monograph. For me, it's the combination of leaf, inflorescence, and bulb characters that will help in identifying a Haemanthus. The plant in question can't be Haemanthus pubescens ssp. pubescens or H. pubescens ssp. leipoldtii because those have prostrate leaves. That leaves only H. pubescens ssp. arenicolus. But the spathe valves in Antigoni's photo does not resemble the drawing in Snjiman's monograph and the adaxial surface of the leaf is suppose to be glabrous. I would also go with H. dasyphyllus in this case. Nhu On Mon, Oct 29, 2012 at 9:22 AM, Hannon <othonna@gmail.com> wrote: > The "flower" is telling in H. pubescens and is the only character uniquely > emphasized by Snijman as being important in distinguishing it from related > taxa: > > "*Haemanthus pubescens* is easily recognized by the 4 to 5, occasionally 7, > large and very fleshy spathe valves which closely surround the flowers". >