Massonia bifolia first leaf

The annual, above-ground presence of Massonia bifolia begins with one leaf. The small stand of these low-growing, pale green plants spotted high up on a hillside in the Biedouw Valley was mainly fruiting in September. Recognising the solitary leaf for what it is, was only possible because of the fully developed compatriots surrounding it under the tall shrub vegetation covering them all.

A second, ground level leaf is grown by these plants, living up to the bifolia specific name. The other massonias all have two leaves as well, so why this name? The specific name was conferred in days when the plant was still called Whiteheadia bifolia, a then monotypic genus.

Upon transfer into Massonia, the species could thus retain some of its earlier human made identity, as there had been no sense before in calling any (other) member of that genus M. bifolia (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist).