South African Crinum and Gladiolus & mystery blue irid

John Grimshaw j.grimshaw@virgin.net
Sun, 20 May 2007 00:20:16 PDT
Calvin - there are a couple of possibilities for your Crinum, of which C. 
delagoense is most probable as it is described as growing at low altitudes 
in sandy soils in Elsa Pooley's 'Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Kwa-Zulu 
Natal'. The other option is C. macowanii but although this does occur by the 
coast it is more freqent inland in grassland.

I have never heard of a bulbilliferous Gladiolus, but there is an obvious 
contender in the bulbilliferous forms of Watsonia meriana, which is a native 
of the the Cape Town area. It could be confused with Gladiolus if not in 
flower.

The diagnosis of Aristea for the plant from Magaliesberg is almost certainly 
correct. The genus is found up & down Africa in such sites. I don't think 
there is any useful reference to the genus as a whole.

John Grimshaw


Dr John M. Grimshaw
Sycamore Cottage
Colesbourne
Nr Cheltenham
Gloucestershire GL53 9NP



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