Aristea africana

Aristea africana, in Afrikaans called the maagbossie (little stomach bush), is a rhizomatous evergreen perennial, low-growing and clump-forming. The leaves are sword-like and narrow.

The flowering stems are flattened, sometimes branched. There are three stamens and a three-lobed stigma on the blue six-tepalled corolla. Blooming happens in spring and summer. The fruits are short and three-winged.

The species distribution is in the Western Cape, from the Gifberg to Bredasdorp and Riversdale. This picture was taken in October at the top of Sir Lowry's Pass.

The habitat is fynbos in sandstone and granite derived soils, occupying disturbed land. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).