Tritoniopsis is a species in the Iridaceae family that is found mostly in the southwestern Cape of South Africa, most often growing in sandstone soils in fynbos. Most of the species are summer flowering, flowering when the leaves are dry and withered. Many of them are triggered into flower by fire. Flowers are usually pink to purple or red, but there are some species with white, yellow, brown, or cream flowers. Leaves lack a definite midrib and have more than one main vein. More information can be found by consulting Manning, Goldblatt, Snijman listed in References.
Tritoniopsis antholyza syn. Anapalina longituba, syn. Anapalina nervosa is found on rocky sandstone slopes over a wide area. It has tubular salmon pink to red flowers in a dense spike. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken in 3 locations in the Overberg.
Tritoniopsis bicolor grows in seasonally waterlogged plateaus in the southwest Cape. It has yellow sweetly scented flowers with brown to maroon markings in a dense spike. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken near Napier in the Overberg in October.
Tritoniopsis burchellii syn. Anapalina burchelli grows on rocky sandstone slopes over a wide area and has tubular scarlet flowers in a dense spike. It blooms summer into fall. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken near Bredasdorp in the Overberg in March.
Tritoniopsis caffra syn. Anapalina caffra is found on sandstone slopes in the southern to southeast Cape in areas where it would get year round rainfall. It has bright red flowers in long spikes and blooms in late spring to summer, but may be opportunistic. The first two photos by Liz Waterman. The third from Cameron McMaster shows a plant blooming in habitat in the Eastern Cape.
Tritoniopsis flexuousa is found on clay slopes in renosterveld in the southwest Cape and the Agulhas Plain. The pale pink flowers have a darker pink median streak. It flowers January to February. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken near Napier in the Overberg in February.
Tritoniopsis lata grows on sandstone mountain slopes in the Southwest Cape and blooms February to May. It has deep pink flowers with dark markings in a lax spike. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken in May near Napier in the Overberg.
Tritoniopsis parviflora grows on rocky sandstone slopes in the northwest and southwest Cape and in the Agulhas Plain. The sweetly spicy scented flowers are yellow with brown to maroon markings. This species flowers late spring into summer. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken near Napier in the Overberg in November.
Tritoniopsis pulchra syn Anapalina pulchra is found on rocky sandstone slopes in the southwest Cape and the Agulhas Plain. It has dark rose flowers in a dense spike and flowers Februay to June. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken in April in the Overberg near Napier.
Tritoniopsis ramosa is found on sandstone slopes over a broad area. It has deep pink flowers with dark markings in a lax spike. It flowers summer into fall. Photo by Cameron McMaster taken in March near Napier in the Overberg.
Tritoniopsis triticea syn Anapalina triticea is found on rocky granite and sandstone slopes in the northwest and southwest Cape and in the Langeberg Center. Scarlet flowers are in a dense spike. It flowers summer into fall. Photo by Cameron McMaster taken in January near Napier in the Overberg.
Tritoniopsis unguicularis grows on rocky sandstone slopes in the southwest Cape. It flowers December to March. Flowers are cream to yellow with faint mauve nectar guides in a dense spike. Photos by Cameron McMaster taken in November on Napier Mountain in the Overberg.
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