Holothrix villosa

Holothrix villosa is a tuberous perennial growing an annual, erect stem to a height of about 36 cm. There are two unequal, fleshy leaves positioned flat on the ground, clasping the base of the slender stem. Their shape is ovate to nearly circular and, like the stem, variably hairy.

Hairiness is common in the Holothrix genus, but the thrix of Holothrix as well as the specific name, villosa, denote it doubly for this species; the tautology confirming the emphasised characteristic.

The species distribution is widespread from Namaqualand, the Richtersveld and the western Karoo through the Western and Eastern Cape to around Graaff-Reinet and northwards in discrete areas, including Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The habitat is stone and granite slopes of both summer and winter rainfall areas; the plants grow in sheltered or exposed fynbos, karoid habitats and more. Neither of the two varieties of H. villosa is considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

Many of the 55 Holothrix species are found in southern Africa, 13 in the fynbos (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; www.pacificbulbsociety.org; http://redlist.sanbi.org).