Ledebouria pilosa
Introduction
The hairy-leaved African hyacinth is an attractive bulbous plant with broad, green, hairy leaves and a tall flower spike with small pink and white striped flowers.
Fig. 1: Ledebouria pilosa inflorescence is a raceme of pink and white striped flowers.
Description
Description
This small to medium bulbous plant is usually solitary but can occur in small clusters. The bulbs are whitish and range in size from 30-50 mm in length and width. As with all members of the section Resnova it does not possess a tunic (dry sheath of old bulb scales covering the bulb) which is commonly seen in the section Ledebouria, the bulbs are naked with truncated bulb scales. The stalkless leaves are produced in summer, usually 2 to 3, broadly lanceolate to oblanceolate and can be up to 250 mm long and up to 50 mm wide, but smaller leaved forms also exist. The green leaves are usually unspotted but can occasionally be spotted with brownish-green spots. The leaves are covered in short, soft, erect hairs on one or both surfaces, the back of the leaf may be red or speckled with red. Flowers are produced in spring and early summer (September to October). Each bulb usually produces a solitary, elongated inflorescence, which can be up to 300 mm long, initially erect, later leaning then becoming decumbent as the fruit develops. Numerous, loosely arranged, bell-shaped, pink and white striped, nodding flowers (florets) are presented on a pinkish-green flower stalk. Each floret is comprised of 6 elongated tepals (petals), and is attached to the peduncle by a short pedicel (stalk). Typical of the section Resnova, the flowers are unscented and the tepals spread only apically creating a bell-shaped flower. The flowers are soon followed by swollen green capsules which soon wither to reveal the dull, dark brown, wrinkled seeds.
Fig. 2: Ledebouria pilosa leaf undersides are red or speckled with red.
Conservation Status
Status
This species is listed in the Red List of South African Plants as Data Deficient Taxonomically Problematic (DDT) which means that the species cannot be assessed due to taxonomic challenges which confound proper assessment. The taxonomic challenges will need to be resolved first, before the species can be adequately assessed.
Distribution and habitat
Distribution description
The hairy-leaved African hyacinth is a grassland species and occurs in various different types of grassland. It can be found occurring in open grassland amongst rocks and under the canopy of trees. The species occurs in northern KwaZulu-Natal and southern Mpumalanga. Across its range the species experiences a moderate highveld climate with warm summers and cold winters with mild frost. Rainfall is mostly during the summer months in the form of thunderstorms.
Fig. 3: Ledebouria pilosa inflorescence is decumbent when mature.
Derivation of name and historical aspects
History
This species was first named Resnova pilosa in 1946 by Dr. F.Z. van der Merwe, a medical doctor from Pretoria, with an interest in botany. In 1972 J.P. Jessop, a South African botanist, combined the genus Resnova into the genus Drimiopsis, wherein he combined Resnova pilosa under Drimiopsis maxima. In 1997 the German husband and wife botanist team U. and D. Müller-Doblies resurrected the genus Resnova as a stand alone genus once again, wherein they re-erected Resnova pilosa as a separate species. In 2004 Prof. J.C. Manning, botanical scientist at Kirstenbosch in South Africa, combined both Drimiopsis and Resnova into the genus Ledebouria. He later erected them as sections under his broader concept of Ledebouria viz. section Resnova and section Drimiopsis. In so doing Manning created the name Ledebouria pilosa to accommodate this species. Manning’s concept of L. pilosa also included the smaller more or less hairless form, formerly known as Resnova minor, and the dwarf grassland form from the Barberton area previously known as Resnova transvaalensis, both of which were named by van der Merwe in 1946.
The specific name pilosa is Latin and means ‘hairy’, referring the hairs on the leaves. The genus name Resnova, created by F.Z. van der Merwe in 1946, is derived from two Latin words res-, meaning ‘thing’ and nova, meaning ‘new’, thus meaning ‘new thing’; it is not known why van der Merwe chose this name for the genus.
Fig. 4: Ledebouria pilosa has broad green leaves covered in short, soft hairs.
The genus Ledebouria was named in honour of the German-Estonian botanist, Professor Carl Friedrich von Ledebour (1785–1851). South Africa has 61 species of Ledebouria, with several more species occurring across southern, western, eastern and northeast Africa and into India. The genus Ledebouria is well represented especially across eastern summer rainfall parts of South Africa, which is the global centre of diversity for the genus. The section Resnova is a small section within the genus Ledebouria which is comprised of five species characterized by bell-shaped flowers. Other species of section Resnova which have been featured in this series include L. humifusa, L. megaphylla and L. lachenalioides.
Ecology
Ecology
This species is most commonly found in grassland ecology. Flowering is usually very early in summer, followed shortly by seed dispersal which is timed for the onset of the summer rainy season, from October to March. Seedlings germinate quickly and establish a small bulb under the soil before the onset of winter, which allows them to survive their first dry season protected under the ground. The climate in the areas occupied by this species is characterized by dry and cold winters, with varying degrees of frost and regular grass fires moving through the grassy habitat during the dry season. During these adverse periods the plants are deciduous and remain dormant, with their bulbs safely hidden below ground awaiting the warmer summer and return of the rainfall. Pollination is done by a variety of insects which visit the flowers, mostly honey bees and small solitary bees. Seed dispersal in this group is by water-wash, thus the seeds often don’t travel very far from the parent plants. Most ledebourias are used as host plants for the Cherry Spot Moth (Diaphone eumela).
Fig. 5: Ledebouria pilosa occasionally has spotted leaves.
Uses
Use
There are few literature references alluding to any uses of the hairy-leaved African hyacinth. It is occasionally cultivated by bulb collectors as a curiosity. The genus Ledebouria has generally been cited as having been used medicinally for various purposes including pregnancy, diarrhoea, influenza, backache, skin irritations, wound treatment as well as lumbago. The genus is also reported as being poisonous, although it is not known if this applies to all species equally, the entire genus should be regarded as being poisonous as a precaution.
Growing Ledebouria pilosa
Grow
This species can be used in the garden as part of a grassland or amongst a rockery where it will find protection from being smothered by sprawling ground covers. The curious velvety leaves offer novelty as do the pink and white striped flowers. It can be used as an attractive basal cover in containers planted around the base of taller species such as aloes or euphorbias.
In the garden this species should be planted in a position which will offer full to partial day sun, in a well-drained loam soil. They do not need to be lifted in winter, and once established they will survive for many years in the same place. They should preferably be left to dry out completely or partially during the winter months. They prefer adequate water in the summer growing season and can survive periods of drought. They do well under irrigated garden conditions, provided the soil is well drained. This species is mostly pest free if maintained outdoors, however they can be susceptible to mealy bug in the crown of the plant and on the roots, especially if maintained in containers and in greenhouses. This can be treated using a commercial insecticide specified for this malady. They may also develop mosaic virus under conditions of cultivation, which cannot be treated; although the plants will still grow and flower.
Propagation is primarily from fresh seed as the seed has a short storage life of approximately one year. Ideally seed should be sown at the onset of spring but seed can be sown any time during the warm summer months. Sow the seeds in a deep seed tray or seed bed in a well-drained loam soil or seedling mix. Seed trays should be drenched with a broad spectrum fungicide specified for damping off fungi. Cover the seeds with about 3 mm of the same sifted growing media. Place the trays in a warm position but not in full sun and water to maintain a constant dampness. Repeat the application of the fungicide as per the manufacturers specifications. Seedlings will start to emerge from three to six weeks and can be left to grow in their natal position under they are one year old, and can then be planted out into individual or community pots. Seedlings can attain flowering size in three to four years from seed.
References
- Hankey, A.J. 2019. Proposed English common names for African hyacinths (genus Ledebouria). Plantlife SA Vol 47:7. https://plantlifesouthafrica.blogspot.com/
- Jessop, J. P. 1972. Studies in the bulbous Liliaceae in South Africa: 2. Drimiopsis and Resnova. Journal of South African Botany 38: 151–162.
- Manning, J.C. 2020. Systematics of Ledebouria sect. Resnova (Hyacinthaceae: Scilliodeae: Massonieae), with a new subtribal classification of Massonieae. South African Journal of Botany 133:98–110.
- Manning, J.C., Goldblatt, P. & Fay, M.F. 2004. A revised generic synopsis of Hyacinthaceae in sub-Saharan Africa, based on molecular evidence, including new combinations and the new tribe Pseudoprospereae. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 60: 533–568.
- Müller-Doblies, U. & Müller-Doblies, D. 1997. A partial revision of the tribe Massonieae (Hyacinthaceae). Feddes Repertorium 108 (1–-2): 49–96.
- Oosthuizen, D. 2023. Observation of Resnova pilosa, Barberton, Mpumalanga. iNaturalist. Online. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/189785236.
- Von Staden, L. 2017. Ledebouria pilosa (Van der Merwe) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. Accessed on 2023/12/24.
- Wikipedia. Carl Friedrich von Ledebour. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Friedrich_von_Ledebour. Accessed 6 November 2018.
- Wikispecies John_Peter_Jessop. https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/John_Peter_Jessop. Accessed on 24/12/2023.
- Wiktionary. Pilosa. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Pilosa. Accessed on 20/09/2023.
Credits
Andrew Hankey
Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
January 2024
Acknowledgements: the author thanks Delia Oosthuizen for allowing the use of her pictures posted on iNaturalist.
Plant Attributes:
Plant Type: Bulb
SA Distribution: KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga
Soil type: Loam
Flowering season: Spring, Early Summer
PH: Neutral
Flower colour: White, Pink
Aspect: Full Sun, Morning Sun (Semi Shade)
Gardening skill: Easy
Special Features:
Attracts butterflies
Drought resistant
Good potplant
Poisonous
Feeds honeybees
Horticultural zones
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