Eriospermum capense subsp. capense striking a pose

This Eriospermum capense subsp. capense leaf reveals a little of the purplish red lower leaf surface sometimes pressed bashfully on the ground.

Young leaves may ascend as here before relinquishing ambition or curiosity and succumbing to gravity. Before they do, this stance resembling a collar fitted on a dog by a vet may be assumed.

There is a less seen second subspecies of E. capense, viz. subsp. stoloniferum found from Cape Town to Caledon and Worcester, listed as a vulnerable plant.

This photo is from the Little Karoo. Subsp. capense is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; www.redlist.sanbi.org).