Gloriosa superba erect without support

This Gloriosa superba plant flowering in the veld is an erect specimen, large-leaved higher up on the stem, bare-stemmed lower down. Several flowers are open concurrently with more buds to come.

Fundamentally a scrambler, the plant evolved to climb through surrounding vegetation using leaf-tip tendrils, yet the plant remains remarkably adaptable. The stand-alone form occurs frequently in open savanna or dune scrub. In full sun where the soil is sandy or rocky, the surrounding vegetation sparse and the wind levels low to moderate, the thicker stemmed plants tend to stand independently (Manning, 2009; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist; https://greencanopyfoundation.com).