Dianthus basuticus subsp. basuticus

Dianthus basuticus var basuticus, the Drakensberg carnation or Lesotho dianthus, is a densely tufted, cushion-forming perennial that grows from a woody rootstock to heights from 15 cm to 25 cm.

It has opposite, narrow leaves, grass-like with a blue-green colour and channelled above. Each leaf-pair is joined at the base in a sheath around the stem. The leaves are from 1,5 cm to 12 cm long.

The long-stalked flowers have long calyx tubes with bracts at the base. Five-petalled and white in picture, the obovate petals may also be pink. The petal margins are angularly toothed in their upper halves or appear long-fringed. Flower diameter is from 2 cm to 3 cm.

This variety has broad flat petal and straight sides, forming a nearly triangular shape. In some other subspecies and varieties the petals may be ovate, tapering to acute tips. Flowering happens from before midspring to after midautumn. 

The distribution of D. basuticus subsp. basuticus is in the east of South Africa, from the northerly interior of the Eastern Cape to the east of the Free State, the west of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, as well as Lesotho. This plant was spotted in the Mkhomazi Wilderness Area in January.

The habitat is rocky grassland at high altitudes. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century, although it is used in both traditional medicine and indigenous population customs relating to magic (Manning, 2009; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist; iSpot; http://redlist.sanbi.org).