Lessertia frutescens carrying a load

Lessertia frutescens is sometimes referred to as a balloon pea. The aptness of the analogy is strikingly displayed by this industrious young plant carrying a rather large crop for its size. It was photographed in October in the southern Cape near Van Wyksdorp.

The large inflated, but indehiscent pods are membranous, showing a pink, beige or greenish translucence. A ripe pod breaking off from the plant may be blown away by the wind, depositing its seeds in a new spot where no particular soil type is required for them to grow, once there is moisture. The small black seeds are flattish, about 3 mm in diameter. They have rough surfaces. Inflated fruits are not a heavy burden.

Although L. frutescens belongs to the Fabaceae family, its flowers are not at first glance as pea-like as many other species of the family, but check the structure. Still, it is leguminous, depositing nitrogen into the soil. That function is performed in nature by lightning, benefiting many plants that can’t do this for themselves or for their neighbours (Manning, 2009; www.plantzafrica.com).