Babiana hirsuta

Babiana hirsuta, in Afrikaans the rooibobbejaantjie (little red baboon), is a robust cormous perennial that grows to heights varying between 40 cm and 70 cm. The stiff, pleated and finely hairy leaves grow in two ranks, forming a fan shape.

The purple, hairy flowering stem grows horizontal branches on which the two-lipped flowers are found. The flower has a curved tube of about 3,5 cm in length. Flowering takes place from midwinter to midspring.

The habitat is sandy flats and dunes from Saldanha to the Richtersveld along the west coast. This photo was taken at Hondeklip Bay in August (Manning, 2009; iSpot).