Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. katharinae false stem

This young pseudostem of Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. katharinae is formed from the sheaths of the tubular leaf bases that are pressed flatly upon each other and overlap closely. This pseudostem has the scattered purple spots sometimes found upon pseudostems, while some plants may be spotless, green or almost white-stemmed. A pseudostem may reach up to 2,5 cm in diameter.

The leaves gracefully curving out in palm-like fashion are large and thin-textured, their margins wavy. The fleshy stalk of each leaf continues conspicuously as midrib through the leaf blade (Duncan, 2010; www.plantzafrica.com; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).