Disa ferruginea flower spike

The short, head-like spike of crowded Disa ferruginea flowers is more conical than cylindrical in shape. It is seen in late summer and early autumn when the basal (radical) cluster of narrow leaves is already withered and dry. (Hysteranthy is the phenomenon of flowers and leaves being present on a plant at different times, occurring in many species.)

This species is a mimic of another flower that has nectar. It uses its guiles, contained in its floral looks, to lure the Aeropetes butterfly routinely served nectar by the similar Tritoniopsis triticea flowers growing in the same area.

When the butterfly discovers the Disa is dry and has nothing to offer, it is already too late, the pollen offloaded upon it for transportation. While some pollen may end up wasted on Tritoniopsis stigmas, butterfly brains don’t have the learning capacity (yet) to discern between the two flower species and will continue to choose both.

There are cases in which the adage: What you don’t know doesn’t hurt you! is as good as: Let sleeping dogs lie. Fortunately for the disa the flowering seasons of the two plants coincide. A sucker is born every minute! Not?

This little scam has been working for longer than anyone can remember. In fact, it may well have started when nothing that lived was capable of remembering much (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Bean and Johns, 2005).