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From South African Romuleas on Wednesday 20th of May 2026 06:30:35 PM PDT
Romulea albomarginata M.P.de Vos is found on sandstone flats in the Northwest Cape, South Africa. Growing from 12 to 25 cm high, it has 3 or 4 basal and cauline leaves that are narrowly four-grooved and white or pink to magenta flowers with dark veins around an orange-yellow cup. It flowers August to October. Photo from Rod Saunders.
From Chasmanthe on Tuesday 19th of May 2026 05:01:34 PM PDT
Chasmanthe bicolor (Gasp.) N.E.Br. is endemic to the Western Cape. It has an erect spike with orange scarlet flowers with lower lateral green tepals and a yellow tube. Flowers face to two sides. It grows to 28-36 inches (70-90 cm) and blooms midwinter to early spring. Photos 1-2 by Mary Sue Ittner. Photos 3-6 were taken by Nhu Nguyen.
The photos below by Nhu Nguyen shows the pods and very pretty shiny orange seeds and the fleshy roots below the new corms during the growing season. Notice the seed capsules are straw colored on the inside.
From Alstroemeria on Monday 18th of May 2026 05:10:48 PM PDT
Alstroemeria patagonica Phil. is one of the southernmost species, a very small plant with stems about 4-8 inches long and somewhat lax, and bright golden yellow flowers. Jane McGary has seen it growing in sandy "blowouts" on hillsides in Patagonia, where the soil was extremely dry when the plants were dormant. It is hardy to at least 20 degrees F, but should probably be protected from repeated freezing and thawing while moist. It flowers in early June and is summer-dormant. Height: 1-3 ft. Photo by Jane McGary shown in cultivation, grown from seed obtained from the Alpine Garden Society exchange.
From Hannonia on Sunday 17th of May 2026 07:24:54 PM PDT
Hannonia hesperidum is confined to Western Morocco, Promontory of Hercules. The specific name comes from greek hesperos, of evening, as the flowers open in the late afternoon. The bulbs are 20-25x20 mm., with brown papery tunics; they have a long neck about 4 cm long. The species is hysteranthous. The stem is about 10 cm high, 2-edged, a little twisted. The pedicel is 1 cm, green; the perianth has a short green tube, 5 mm, spreading in six white elements, 15 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, linear-lanceolate a bit broadened below the apex, and with a green line externally. The stamens in two orders, 3 equaling the tepals, 3 shorter; anthers yellow; style white and terete. The leaves are just 2 mm wide and 20 cm long. Flowering period: late summer. Each flower lasts just one day. No scent. Grows in rock-fissures, a very sandy-gritty soil is needed in cultivation. No water in summer and very little in winter. In areas which experience frost a frost-free bulbframe or a greenhouse have to be used. Full sun. Photos by Alberto Grossi, 27 of August 2007.
Photos from Dylan Hannon of plants producing seed at the end of October 2023.
From Watsonia Four on Saturday 16th of May 2026 06:27:40 PM PDT
Watsonia pulchra N.E.Brown ex Goldblatt plants grow in open grassland or light woodland from northeastern Natal through Swaziland and the eastern Transvaal. This species grows from 60 to 120 cm high and has a spike of 30 to 60 pink to purple, or maroon, occasionally white, flowers. It is distinguished by its dry brown bracts that clasp the stem. It flowers in the summer. The first photo was taken by Rod Saunders. The other photos from iNaturalist were taken by Linda Loffler in Swaziland in February and shared under a CC BY-NC license
From Habranthus on Friday 15th of May 2026 05:11:00 PM PDT
Habranthus itaobinus Ravenna is native to the interior of the Northeast Region of the Brazil, in half-barren climate (dry during 7-8 months of the year), in a type of vegetation called "Caatinga" in the language of the Tupi Nation. Height range: 30-45 cm. Photo taken December 2006 by Tarcísio Eduardo Raduenz.
From Gethyllis on Thursday 14th of May 2026 05:42:14 PM PDT
Gethyllis oliverorum D.Müll.-Doblies was formally described in Willdenowia 15:469 (1986). The species is a winter-rainfall grower from the Cape region of South Africa, originally known from southwest of Vanrhynnsdorp, in the Langeberg Mountains near Heerenlogement.
Rob Ferber writes "One of the easier species to grow, this smaller Winter-growing Gethyllis species with fine leaves (up to about 1/16" diameter or a bit more) forms a flat whorl on the ground up to about 3" in diameter. The flowers appear in early June for me in Los Angeles, rising quickly after the leaves have mostly dried out. The flowers are low (to 4" tall), brilliant white gems open for two or three days. Winter weather in habitat is characterized by small (less than 1" per event) rainfalls once a week or so, with daytime high temperatures usually 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit above the nightime temperatures. Days are reaching the 60's to the 80's occasionally, with nights in the upper 30's to the 50's. Summer weather in habitat has the same day-night temperature swings, reaching the 70's to the 100's in the day and 50's to 70's at night. Rainfall is rare in the summer months, though not totally absent." Photos by Rob Ferber of plants grown in Downtown Los Angeles in 2022, originally sourced from Dylan Hannon. In photo #4, the black pot is 3" on an edge.
From Phycella on Wednesday 13th of May 2026 07:34:51 PM PDT
Phycella australis Ravenna is very similar to Phycella cyrtanthoides, but has smaller flowers, is not as tall, and has narrower leaves. A coastal species, it is the southernmost growing species in Chile. Height range: 30-50 cm. Photo by Osmani Baullosa.
From Calochortus Species One on Tuesday 12th of May 2026 05:46:21 PM PDT
Calochortus argillosus (Hoover) Zebzll & Fielder is found on open grassy clay meadows in California. Height range: 40-60 cm. There are three forms. The northern form has the most variety of colors and petal markings. Spots are banded and may include brick-red, yellow, and pink colors. Flowers are white, often blushed pink. This species was featured in Mariposa,Volume 12,#3-4. The first two photos were taken by Mary Sue Ittner. The third shows the back of the flowers, equally beautiful, and was taken by Bob Rutemoeller. The last two photos were taken at Edgewood County Park, San Mateo County, California, by Mary Gerritsen.
Photos below from Mary Sue Ittner taken different years showing variations and a pollinator.
The central form ranges from pale lavender to deep rich purple with colored petals on the front and back. The central spot is banded. The gland is transversely irregular and the flowers have a longitudinal pink blotch at the base of each segment. The first five photos were taken by Mary Sue Ittner in San Benito County in late May 2024. The last photo from iNaturalist was taken by catchang in late May in Henry W. Coe State Park and shared under a CC BY-NC license.
The southern form is a satiny white and marked by a single dark red purple squarish or round spot above the gland which is wider than high and somewhat lunate. The first two photos were taken by Mary Sue Ittner and the third photo by Susan Hayek for Diana Chapman. The last three pictures were taken by Alan Horstmann.
Excerpts and photos from Kipp McMichael's "Calochortus pursuits":
"On our way back north from Figueroa Mountain, we stopped in San Luis Obispo, CA to see if we might catch Calochortus obispoensis in bloom in its preferred rocky, serpentine hillside habitat. We were too early for that species, but we did find Calochortus argillosus growing in the moister saddle between serpentine hills. The southern populations of C. argillosus often have a rich magenta outer petal."
From Mendocino Sonoma Coast Six on Monday 11th of May 2026 05:00:05 PM PDT
Taraxia ovata, formerly known as Camissonia ovata and by the common name of coast sun cup or sun cups, is found in grassy fields not far from the coast from Oregon to central California. It grows from a long taproot and flowers March to June. Photos taken by Mary Sue Ittner in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, California.
