Ledebouria cooperi

This clump of Ledebouria cooperi plants seems to have escaped destruction through trampling by cattle in a muddy spot of mountain grassland. The misfortune of these plants provides an opportunity to view a bulb and roots in addition to the above-ground parts.

An idea can also be formed about the normal depth of the bulb in the ground. The erect leaves are broadly lance-shaped, fresh green with faint purple markings on their outer surfaces. The plants shown here all have only one or two leaves. The plant grows to about 25 cm.

The inflorescence is a dense raceme of small, pink, star-shaped flowers. The tepals of the flowers in picture have darker pink, longitudinal lines down the centre. The raceme seen here is carried upright, unlike many Ledebouria inflorescences with soft scapes that tend to sprawl. Prominently spread yellow anthers and a green ovary at the flower base can be seen in some of the flowers in the photo. Blooming occurs from mid-spring through summer.

The distribution of this species covers most of the eastern half of South Africa, as well as across the borders into some neighbouring countries. The plants were seen in late November, the rainy season, in the Mkhomazi Wilderness Area of the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg. 

The habitat of the species is grassland, typical cattle land. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2009; http://redlist.sanbi.org).