Brunsvigia striata leaves

Brunsvigia striata usually grows three to six large leaves annually, present when there are no flowers on the plant. The leaf-shape is ovate, obovate or elliptic with rounded tip. The dimensions range from 5 cm to 25 cm in length and 3 cm to 7 cm in width.

This leaves-only plant seen in September in the Biedouw Valley, flaunts one extra leaf. It is thought to be B. striata, the stripe candelabra, from the distinct, longitudinal striations along the blades, visible at close inspection.

The broad leaves of this Brunsvigia (and several others), often lie flat on the ground when mature, starting off in two opposing ranks, i.e. distichous. Tiny protuberances, papillae, may be scattered along the dark green upper surfaces of B. striata.

The leaf margins are thickened, cartilaginous and entire, dull red in colour. The red colouring has become faint or partly absent on these old, deciduous leaves in picture nearing their end.

The leaves serve to replenish the bulb annually after flowering and fruiting had reduced its stored resources, enabling it to repeat the exercise next season. Green during the winter growing season, the set of deciduous leaves wither and disappear sometime during early summer (Duncan, et al, 2016; Manning and Goldblatt, 1997; iNaturalist).