Geissorhiza ovata
Introduction
A dainty bulbous plant with white and pink flowers in spring, that blooms profusely after a fire.
Description
Description
Geissorhiza ovata is a cormous geophyte that grows 60-150 mm high. The corm with woody, concentric tunics. The leaves are lanceolate to ovate, the two lower leaves are usually broadly oval or oblong, leathery, spreading or lying almost flat to the ground. The flowering stem is sparsely branched or unbranched, each stem bearing a spike of 2-6 flowers . The flowers are salver-shaped, white or pale pink marked with red in the centre, and with a narrow tube 10–30 mm long. The tepals are spreading, pink or white, with a deep pink reverse. Flowering time is in spring, from August to October.
Conservation Status
Status
Geissorhiza ovata is not threatened and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) according SANBI’s Red List of South African Plants. This species has lost some of its habitat to livestock and crop farming, too irregular fires and competition from invasive alien species. However it remains extremely common and is not in danger of extinction. The population is stable and the species is known from hundreds of subpopulations.
Distribution and habitat
Distribution description
Geissorhiza ovata is endemic to the Western Cape, extending from the Cape Peninsula northwards to the Olifants River Mountains and eastwards to the Langeberg at Garcia’s Pass. It occurs mainly on middle to upper sandstone slopes in mountains or on sandy coastal flats and usually flowers profusely after a fire.
Derivation of name and historical aspects
History
The pink satin flower belongs in the genus Geissorhiza, the wine cups and satin flowers, small plants with stalkless, long-lasting, unscented flowers in every colour but orange. The name Geissorhiza is a Greek-derived word, geisson meaning ‘tile’ and rhiza meaning ‘roots’, which describes the regular overlapping of the corm tunics typical of the genus. The species name ovata is a Latin-derived word, meaning ‘egg-shaped’, referring to the lower leaves. The genus Geissorhiza (day bloomers) falls under the family Iridaceae and with Hesperantha (night bloomers) falls in the subfamily Crocoideae (=Ixioideae), as they both have asymmetric corms. Geissorhiza has 104 species that occur in the winter-rainfall zone of South Africa in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape provinces. Approximately 17 species are recorded in the Overberg.
Ecology
Ecology
Geissorhiza ovata flowers may be pollinated by long-proboscid flies, which are known to pollinate other species with white to pale pink flowers, such as G. schinzii and G. tenella.
The plants are deciduous and adapted to a winter-rainfall climate, the corms sprout in autumn when the rains begin, grow during the mild rainy winter, flower in spring and die back and lie dormant underground during the hot, dry summer months.
Uses
Use
No medicinal or cultural uses are recorded for Geissorhiza ovata.
Growing Geissorhiza ovata
Grow
This species can be propagated from cormlets and seeds. Sow seeds in autumn and remove cormlets in late summer.
Sow seeds in a mixture of fine sifted bark, coarse river sand and coir. Sow seeds 3 mm deep and lightly cover with thin layer of sand and water gently. Place in a roof-covered area and keep moist. Seeds will take 6-8 weeks to germinate. The corms are planted with the top of the corm about 1 cm below the surface. Seedlings flower in their second season.
These plants need well-drained, sandy, acidic soil, in full sun, and respond very well to chicken-manure-based fertilizer. It is ideal for dense plantings, rock gardens or plant pots. Water well in autumn, winter and spring and keep dry during summer.
Plant in well-drained soil, in full sun. The flowers open during hot days and require cross-pollination to produce seed.
The flower buds of Geissorhiza ovata are sometimes attacked by aphids and the corms infested by mealy bug. Porcupines and moles feed on the corms.
References
- Bean, A. & Johns, A. 2005. Stellenbosch to Hermanus. South African Wild Flower Guide 5. Botanical Society of South Africa, Cape Town.
- Duncan, G. 2010. Grow bulbs. Kirstenbosch Gardening Series. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town.
- Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J.C. 2020. Iridaceae of southern Africa. Strelitzia 42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
- Manning, J. 2007. Field guide to Fynbos. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
- Patel, T. 2023. Geissorhiza ovata (Burm.f.) Asch. & Graebn. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants. Online. http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=1535-77.
- Smith, C.A. 1966. Common names of South African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 35. Government Printer, Pretoria.
- Trinder-Smith, T.H. 2003. The Levyns Guide to the plant genera of the south western Cape. Bolus Herbarium, UCT, Red Roof Design CC, Cape Town
Credits
Loretta Floors
Harold Porter National Botanical Garden
December 2024
Plant Attributes:
Plant Type: Bulb
SA Distribution: Western Cape
Soil type: Sandy
Flowering season: Spring
PH: Acid
Flower colour: Red, White, Pink
Aspect: Full Sun
Gardening skill: Average
Special Features:
Good potplant
Horticultural zones
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