Spiloxene is a genus in the Hypoxidaceae family with around 25 species, mostly native to southern Africa. Sixteen of the species are native to the winter rainfall Cape region of South Africa. Many of them favor moist places. Flowers of sun-loving species close at night and don't often open before noon and then on only warm sunny days.

Spiloxene aquatica is found in seasonal pools and streams. It has small white flowers. Photos taken near Tulbagh August 2006 by Mary Sue Ittner
Spiloxene aquatica Spiloxene aquatica

Spiloxene canaliculata is found in seasonally wet flats in heavy soils in the Southwest Cape. It is orange to yellow with a dark purple noniridescent center and when closed you can see the reddish stripes on the back. The first two photos were taken by Bob Rutemoeller. The second picture shows a form grown by Gordon Summerfield that does not have a dark center. The third taken by Mary Sue Ittner shows the corms with their cap of short hard bristles.
Spiloxene canaliculata, Bob Rutemoeller Spiloxene canaliculata, Bob Rutemoeller Spiloxene canaliculata corms

Spiloxene capensis is one of the more attractive species with white, cream, yellow, or pink flowers that are unspotted or have an iridescent or noniridescent dark center. It flowers winter into spring and is found in seasonally wet flats in the Cape region. The first two photos were taken by Bob Rutemoeller. The third photo by Mary Sue Ittner, shows a pink one with a beautiful center (and a pollinator in the picture.) Corms are very unusual with a cap of short fine bristles. The last photo by Mary Sue Ittner shows the top and bottom with a ruler for size.
Spiloxene capensis, Bob Rutemoeller Spiloxene capensis, Bob Rutemoeller Spiloxene capensis, pink, Mary Sue Ittner Spiloxene capensis corms
Two habitat picture was taken September 2003 by Bob Rutemoeller. The first was taken near Caledon, South Africa and the second at Boskloof, both in the Overberg
Spiloxene capensis, Drayton Spiloxene capensis, Boskloof
Two with yellow flowers, photographed by Bob Rutemoeller, the first exhibited at the IBSA Symposium August 2003 and the second grown by Alan Horstmann.
Spiloxene capensis Spiloxene capensis

Spiloxene serrata is white, yellow, or orange with one or two flowers per scape. It flowers winter into spring and is found on coastal flats in sand or clay, usually in seasonally damp sites. The first photo by Bob Rutemoeller shows the plants and the second photo by Mary Sue Ittner two corms on a grid of 1 cm. squares. Corms are finely fibrous, sometimes covered with twisted roots.
Spiloxene serrata, Bob Rutemoeller Spiloxene serrata corms, Mary Sue Ittner

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