Podalyria calyptrata

Podalyria calyptrata is a small, branched tree or shrub of about 2 m in height, rarely 5 m (SA Tree List No. 225). It is commonly called the waterblossom pea and in Afrikaans known as the waterkeurtjie (little water virgilia).

The alternate leaves are simple on short petioles. Leaf-shape is ovate, elliptic to obovate with entire margins that are rolled under and pointed, rounded or notched tips. The grey-green to green blades are sparsely hairy on the upper surfaces, densely covered in silky hairs below.

The flowers are showy, mauve to pink in colour with white at the base and sweet scented. The flower shape is similar to that of the pea flower. The banner petal dominates, notched between two rounded lobes, a fold down the centre with some white at the base. Flowers grow in leaf axils and may be solitary or in clusters.

The species distribution is in the far southwest of the Western Cape, from the Cape Peninsula as a little further east of Bredasdorp.

The habitat is marshy ravines and montane, sandstone fynbos, often near streams, at elevations below 1000 m. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2007; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).