Massonia

Massonia is a genus of bulbous perennials in the Hyacinthaceae family, sometimes called hedgehog lilies.

The bulbs range from nearly globose to ovoid or ellipsoid, some with flattened base and top, the roots deciduous and fleshy. The outer coverings of the bulbs are thin, brown tunics, the body scales inside fleshy. The plants often grow in the open in full sun, several of them only 3 cm to 5 cm tall.

The two broadly ovate to rounded leaves fold at the base and spread flat on the ground. They lie opposite each other, sheathing with transparent, membranous cataphyll below ground level. The blades are either smooth with sunken veins or rough, covered in hairs, pustules, warts or tiny, spine-like protuberances.

The inflorescence is shaped as a condensed corymb or a flat, head-like spike near the ground, nested between the leaves and varying in the number of its small flowers. There are large outer bracts and small, inner ones. The short-stalked flowers are white, pink or greenish, sometimes with orange filaments. The regular flower-shape has its tepals joined at the base in a narrow tube and bent twice, withering soon but persisting. The flowers are usually fragrant, sometimes strongly so.

The six stamens arising from the corolla tube have filaments joined at the base into a cup or disc, the anthers oblong to linear. The three-locular ovary is superior, globose to triangular, its style tapering.

The fruit is a triangular capsule, sometimes winged, noticed and papery when dry. The seeds are black and globular.

There are about ten species, all occurring in southern Africa and five of them in the fynbos region. The plant in picture is Massonia depressa past flowering in the Biedouw Valley in September (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Duncan, 2010; Manning, 2007).