Eucomis bicolor

This Eucomis bicolor raceme of flowers in their prime was found in the Mkhomazi Wilderness Area of the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg in January.

The crown of pointed, leafy bracts at the top of the flowers has purple, finely serrated margins. The inflorescence of this species may stand up to 60 cm tall.

The upper flowers display their tapering, purple filaments topped with tiny yellow anthers as a secondary star within that formed by the six purple-margined tepals. The green, ovoid ovary in the flower centre has a short style. Flowers lower down are nodding, showing just the outer surfaces of the tepals, the small sepals and the pedicels, all cream coloured. Scattered purple spots can be seen on the green scape below.

The species distribution is in KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern Free State, as well as in Lesotho.

The plant grows in Drakensberg grassland and forests, on cliffs and in rocky places where it is usually damp. The species is considered to be near threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century, due to collection of the bulbs for the traditional medicine trade, although the information available is currently inconclusive (Manning, 2009; iSpot; http://redlist.sanbi.org).