Trachyandra species maybe muricata

This Trachyandra plant in bloom found in a road reserve southeast of Caledon late in August. It has broad strap-shaped leaves nearly flat on the ground.

The broad-leaved species of the Trachyandra genus include Trachyandra muricata and T. falcata, both with sickle-shaped leaves; the former having more leaf hairiness than the latter. There is also T. hirsuta occurring in the area, but it bears its hairy leaves more erectly than this plant. No species could be found in the literature bearing its leaves quite like this plant.

The leaf surfaces are shiny, strap-shaped, the margins hairy. The inflorescence is sturdy, more like T. falcata than T. muricata, but on balance this may be T. muricata if not a hybrid or freak.

Several plants in various stages of flowering made up the small Trachyandra stand a metre or so from a busy road (Manning, 2009; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iSpot; http://redlist.sanbi.org)