Bulbine narcissifolia

Bulbine narcissifolia, the strap-leaved bulbine, produces a tall, green flower stalk. This sturdy stem appears out of proportion in relation to the small inflorescence at its top.

Small yellow flowers are clustered in the short raceme. Old flowers on long pedicels spread below the ring of open flowers, busy turning their ovaries into fruits. Small, green buds on short pedicels are densely together in the narrow, cone-shaped inflorescence tip above the open flowers, patiently biding their time.

Far below, the strap-shaped leaves are grey-green, fleshy and about erect, some of them twisting slightly. The blunt-tipped leaves decay into fine fibres; new leaves and floral stems grow annually.

This plant was seen in the Addo Elephant National Park during March (Manning, 2009).