Radinosiphon leptostachya

Radinosiphon leptostachya, sometimes in Afrikaans called the blou angelier (blue carnation) and scientifically previously Lapeirousia leptostachya, is a slender, cormous perennial reaching heights from 15 cm to 50 cm. The corm is up to 1,5 cm in diameter, its tunic pale, usually membranous.

The basal leaves of the deciduous plant are long, strap-shaped and narrow, a little shorter than the inflorescence. Parallel veins are often visible on the blades, the midribs and margins slightly raised. Leaf dimensions are about 10 mm wide and 45 cm long.

The species distribution is in the east of Mpumalanga, also in Eswatini, Mozambique and up to southern Tanzania. The photo was taken near Bombela, previously Nelspruit.

The habitat is slightly wooded or open, rocky grassland on mountain slopes, the plants often found at rocky outcrops in full sun. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

There are only two Radinosiphon species in South Africa, both in Mpumalanga. The other one, R. lomatensis, pollinated by long-proboscid flies, bears larger flowers and more seeds (Onderstall, 1996; iNaturalist; JSTOR; https://wildflowernursery.co.za; https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org; https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw; http://redlist.sanbi.org).