Eucomis bicolor at Mkhomazi

Interesting Eucomis bicolor flower colours are to be seen on this plant photographed in the Mkhomazi Wilderness Area during January.

The pale green tepals in picture are on some plants white, creamy white or even faintly lilac. The neatly lined purple to maroon margins of the tepals are repeated on the uneven margins of the broad leafy bracts in the crown on top of the raceme. These bracts also show faint longitudinal lines on their blades, unfortunately hardly visible in the sunlight here.

Even the six tapering-stemmed stamens and the style of the little flowers are purple in the photo. In addition, there are ragged purple blotches on the scape (stalk) that grows to 50 cm.

The common name of bicoloured pineapple lily is well-deserved! Blooms are seen from midsummer to early autumn.

A rosette of large wavy-edged, strap-like leaves at the base of the stalk surrounds the scape (www.kew.org; Manning, 2009).