Geissorhiza species M-Z are found on this wiki page. See the links below for information about this genus and other species.
Geissorhiza index - Geissorhiza species A-G - Geissorhiza species H-L
Geissorhiza mathewsii grows on wet sandy flats in the Southwest Cape near Darling. It has violet flowers with a bright red center and is very rare. It is very similar to Geissorhiza eurystigma, but smaller with a shorter style and often a white band between the violet and red. Photo by Mary Sue Ittner of a plant in cultivation that did not return.
Geissorhiza monanthos is another beautiful one from the north and southwest Cape where it is found on sandy slopes and granite outcrops. Photos by Sheila Burrow and Mary Sue Ittner. The last shows the corms (on a 1 cm. square grid) that are often surrounded by small offsets that will become flowering plants in years to come.
The first two photos by Mary Sue Ittner are of a wonderful display seen in Darling in September 2006. The third photo was taken by Andrew Harvie between Kalbaskraal and Malmesbury.
Geissorhiza nana grows on clay slopes and flats in renosterveld from Caledon to Riversdale. It grows from 5 to 7 cm. high and has tiny white flowers and blooms in spring. Photo by Cameron McMaster taken in the Overberg.
Geissorhiza ornithogaloides is found mostly on clay or granitic flats and lower slopes, but sometimes in thin, rocky, sandstone in the winter rainfall area of the Cape Province. It only opens on warm sunny days so we have two pictures of it. One is how it looks when the sun is not out and one when it is. The first two photos by Bob Rutemoeller of plants grown from Silverhill Seed. Several years later the plants are even more floriferous. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner.
Habitat photos shown below. The first was taken at Boskloof by Cameron McMaster. The last two photos were taken near Villiersdorp in August 2006 by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.
Geissorhiza ovata grows on sandstone slopes and flats in the northwest and southwest Cape and is flowers late winter-early spring. It flowers well after a fire. It has prostrate lanceolate to ovate leaves and white to pale pink flowers that are pink on the reverse and reddish at the base. The first two photos by Bob Rutemoeller show plants in flower in September 2003. The first one was flowering in fynbos at Boskloof and this second one was found growing near Paarl. Notice the red markings at the base. The third photo was taken by Cameron McMaster in Napier in the Overberg and the fourth photo was taken by Alan Horstmann. The last two photos were taken September 2006 at Bainskloof by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.
Geissorhiza purpureolutea is found on wet, sandy gravel flats on the coastal plain mostly in the southwestern Cape, but some populations are in the northwestern Cape. Flowers are cream to pale yellow with a brown or purple center. Sometimes the reverse of the outer tepals is red. Photo by Alan Horstmann.
Geissorhiza radians is one of the most sought after, found on damp sandy or granitic soils in the southwest Cape. This one is covered in pollen. The first photo by Sheila Burrow, the next two from Bill Dijk, and the last from Bob Rutemoeller.
On the way to Darling in September 2006 we came across a whole field of this species in bloom. It was amazing. Photos from Mary Sue Ittner show them in mass and back lit (with Drosera) and there is a close-up from Bob Rutemoeller.
Geissorhiza schinzii grows on stony sandstone slopes in the southwestern Cape where it follows in spring, mostly following a fire. Photos taken by Cameron McMaster at Boskloof.
Geissorhiza splendidissima, a species of the Bokkeveld Plateau in the northwest Cape, is found in clay soils. The first two photos were taken by Bob Rutemoeller of a garden plant and a pot Gordon Summerfield was growing in South Africa. The third is from Alan Horstmann and the last two photos by Mary Sue Ittner show flowers and corms placed on 1 cm. squares to tell the size.
This species was seen blooming near Nieuwoudtville September 2006 with Sparaxis elegans. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner.
Geissorhiza spp. The first one was photographed by Bob Rutemoeller from Rossouw Malherbe's collection in South Africa. It could be Geissorhiza schinzii or Geissorhiza brevituba, but is certainly a species in what was formerly the genus Engysiphon. Another unknown species was seen by Roy Herold in the hills above Muizenburg, south of Cape Town, in October 2002. It could be Geissorhiza aspera, but that species is usually darker in color and blooms earlier. Another possibility is Geissorhiza pusilla which is pale to deep blue or blue-mauve and has smaller flowers. It is relatively uncommon however. Or perhaps a purple Geissorhiza inflexa. The last was photographed near Darling September 2006 by Mary Sue Ittner and could also be Geissorhiza aspera.
Geissorhiza sulphurascens grows on wet sandy flats in the northwest Cape. The small white to cream flowers are in a 4 to 10 flowered spike.
Geissorhiza tulbaghensis is found on clay flats and banks in the north and southwest Cape. Photos by Sheila Burrow, Alan Horstmann, and Mary Sue Ittner.
Geissorhiza index - Geissorhiza species A-G - Geissorhiza species H-L