Tulbaghia capensis

Tulbaghia capensis, commonly Cape garlic or wild garlic, is a rhizomatous, deciduous perennial reaching heights from 15 cm to 35 cm.

The strongly aromatic, hairless plant grows up to eight basal leaves, strap-shaped and channelled, long and from 4 mm to 12 mm wide. The often grey-green leaves, in picture bright green, smell of onion or garlic when crushed.

The species distribution is mainly in the Western Cape, also into the Eastern Cape. The photo was taken near Darling.

The habitat is clay or loam soils on stony flats and slopes in variable vegetation. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2009; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Manning and Goldblatt, 1996: iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).