Lachenalia violacea var. glauca

Lachenalia violacea var. glauca is a cormous perennial that grows to heights around 20 cm. One or two broad, ovate, wavy leaves are produced annually, sometimes with dark markings along the surfaces.

The fragrant flowers are borne in many-flowered, cylindrical racemes on long pedicels. The flower has a short, nodding corolla tube, coloured green, white and blue or purple. The yellow anthers are well exserted, seen here to be just shorter than the white style in the centre. Blooming occurs from midwinter to early spring.

This plant grows in the Northern Cape from Clanwilliam to central Namaqualand. Other forms of the species are found in the Richtersveld as well. The photo was taken in August, north of Kamieskroon (iSpot; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984).