Albuca spiralis

Albuca spiralis, locally known as kamiemie (origin and meaning unknown) or in Afrikaans as varkstertjie (little pig’s tail) and krulle (curls), is a bulbous perennial. The flower stem reaches heights ranging from 20 cm to 40 cm. The scales of the small, ovoid bulb clasp but do not split or become fibrous.

The species is distributed in the Northern Cape and the Western Cape, the southwestern parts of the country from central Namaqualand to the Cape Peninsula and eastwards to the Little Karoo. The photo was taken next to the road from Springbok to Steinkopf during August.

The plant is winter growing when it rains here, the blooming happening in spring. A. spiralis grows in loamy or sandy soils in various scrub-veld vegetations (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Cowling, et al, 1999; Eliovson, 1990; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; http://redlist.sanbi.org).