Watsonia dubia

Watsonia dubia is a cormous perennial with leaves and flowers quite similar to many of the watsonias found in the Cape winter rainfall area. Southern Africa has 52 Watsonia species; some of them difficult to distinguish. This challenge is enhanced by natural hybridising, which occurs readily.

The few fibrous, sword-shaped leaves are broad, of medium length for the genus and with prominent midribs. The plant reaches only about 35 cm when in full bloom.

This species grows on lower slopes and flats in the Swartland of the Western Cape around Paarl and Wellington and across the mountains around Wolseley and Tulbagh.

This specimen was photographed at the Elandsberg Private Nature Reserve (Manning, 2009; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984).