Geissorhiza Species One

Geissorhiza species A-G are found on this wiki page. See the links below for information about this genus and other species.


Geissorhiza index - Geissorhiza species H-L - Geissorhiza species M-Z


Geissorhiza aspera is found on mostly sandy soils, flats, and slopes in the western Cape. It has blue to violet flowers that appear in spring. The first photo was taken by Bill Dijk, the second by Cameron McMaster at Hermanus, and the third by Mary Sue Ittner at Darling.

Geissorhiza aspera, Bill DijkGeissorhiza aspera, Hermanus, Cameron McMasterGeissorhiza aspera, Darling, Mary Sue Ittner

Photos by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner taken at Lion’s Head, Table Mountain National Park, September 2006 where they were blooming in mass and one was white.

Geissorhiza aspera, Lion’s Head, Bob RutemoellerGeissorhiza aspera, Lion’s Head, Bob RutemoellerGeissorhiza aspera, Lion’s Head, Mary Sue IttnerGeissorhiza aspera, Lion’s Head, Mary Sue Ittner

Geissorhiza bolusii grows on damp shady, sandstone slopes in moss in the western Cape. It grows from 3 to 10 cm. and has small white flowers in a two to eight flowered spike. Leaves are lanceolate to ovate with the lower ones usually prostrate. This species blooms October to January. Photos from Andrew Harvie taken near Bainskloof.

Geissorhiza bolusii, Bainskloof, Andrew HarvieGeissorhiza bolusii, Bainskloof, Andrew Harvie

Geissorhiza brehmii is closely related to G. imbricata. G. brehmii , a species of the southwest Cape, grows in wetter habitats, often in standing water or sites wet in winter. Flowers are white to cream and leaves are terete and inflated or somewhat succulent. It flowers in spring. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner.

Geissorhiza brehmii, Mary Sue IttnerGeissorhiza brehmii, Mary Sue Ittner

Geissorhiza confusa is found on rocky sandstone slopes in fynbos in the northwest and southwest Cape where it flowers in spring, especially after a fire. It has cream to white flowers with darker veins. Photos by Jana Ulmer of a single surviving plant grown from seed blooming May 2004 in Northern California and a photo of the corm (on a 1 cm. square grid) by Mary Sue Ittner

Geissorhiza confusa, Jana UlmerGeissorhiza confusa, Jana UlmerGeissorhiza confusa, Jana UlmerGeissorhiza confusa corm, Mary Sue Ittner

Geissorhiza corrugata is found on shale slopes southwest of Calvinia. It has bright yellow flowers and spirally twisted leaves. Photo taken by Rod Saunders.

Geissorhiza corrugata, Rod Saunders

Geissorhiza darlingensis, is quite rare in the wild found only in Tinie Versfeld Wildflower Reserve in Darling. It needs to be hand-pollinated to set seed and only opens fully on hot still days. The first photo was taken by Sheila Burrow and the next three by Mary Sue Ittner of flowers in bud and only partially opening. She finds this species to be challenging to grow and was thrilled finally to have one bloom after several attempts growing it from seed. The final two pictures were taken by Alan Horstmann and Andrew Harvie in habitat.

Geissorhiza darlingensis, Sheila Burrow Geissorhiza darlingensis, Mary Sue IttnerGeissorhiza darlingensis, Mary Sue IttnerGeissorhiza darlingensis, Mary Sue IttnerGeissorhiza darlingensis, Alan HorstmannGeissorhiza darlingensis, Andrew Harvie

Geissorhiza divaricata is found on sandstone rocks in the northwest Cape. Plants grow 20 to 45 cm. tall. Leaves are linear to sword-shaped and the flowers are small, white to pale mauve, with dark mauve on the reverse. This species blooms September to October. Photos taken by Andrew Harvie at Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, southwest of Nieuwoudtville.

Geissorhiza divaricata, Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, Andrew HarvieGeissorhiza divaricata, Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, Andrew Harvie

Geissorhiza eurystigma grows in sandy soils near the coast in the southwest Cape. It has deep blue-violet flowers with a bright red center and cupped tepals. The first picture is from Alan Horstmann. And the second picture of one of Alan’s flowers was taken by Bob Rutemoeller

Geissorhiza eurystigma, Alan HorstmannGeissorhiza eurystigma, Alan Horstmann’s plant, Bob Rutemoeller photograph

Geissorhiza exscapa , syn. Engysiphon exscapus has large cream to ivory flowers with a long slender tube and projecting anthers. It flowers September to October and is found on sandy flats and slopes, mainly along the northwest and southwest coast. This picture taken by Roy Herold in the hills above Muizenburg, south of Cape Town, in October 2002 is most likely this species.

Geissorhiza exscapa, Roy Herold

Geissorhiza foliosa is found on clay slopes and flats in renosterveld in the southern Cape. A short plant to 20 cm. tall with branching stems and short lanceolate leaves, this species blooms September to November. Flowers are lilac to purple. Photos from Andrew Harvie taken near the Tradouws Pass in the Overberg.

Geissorhiza foliosa, Tradouws Pass, Andrew HarvieGeissorhiza foliosa, Tradouws Pass, Andrew Harvie

Geissorhiza geminata is found in marshes and pools in the northwest Cape. Photos by Sheila Burrow and Mary Sue Ittner of a group of flowers blooming March 2005 and the distinctive corms.

Geissorhiza geminata, Sheila BurrowGeissorhiza geminata, Mary Sue IttnerGeissorhiza geminata corms, Mary Sue Ittner

Seen blooming in mass in a wet area near Tulbagh August 2006 where it was being pollinated by monkey beetles that were almost as large as the flowers. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner

Geissorhiza geminata, Tulbagh, Mary Sue IttnerGeissorhiza geminata, Tulbagh, Mary Sue Ittner

Geissorhiza grandiflora is found on rocky sandstone slopes in the western Cape. Growing to 35cm, it has linear leaves and large pink flowers with a darker pink center arranged in a 3 to 8 flowered spike. Photo taken by Rachel Saunders at Bainskloof January 2011.

Geissorhiza grandiflora, Bainskloof, Rachel Saunders

Geissorhiza index - Geissorhiza species H-L - Geissorhiza species M-Z


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Page last modified on March 13, 2011, at 02:07 PM