Lachenalia flava

Lachenalia flava, called L. elegans var. flava by some sources and L. aurea or L. aloides var. aurea and more names in the past, is a bulbous perennial reaching heights around 25 cm.

It bears two unequal leaves and an erect flower stem annually. The strap-shaped leaves tapering to bluntly pointed tips may be plain green or purple-spotted.

The golden-yellow, stalked flowers nod in a somewhat lax, erect raceme, lasting long. The perianths become about 3 cm long. Some flowers may have green tepal tips, while orange flowers also occur. The specific name, flava, is derived from the Latin word flavus meaning yellow.

Flowering happens from late winter to spring. The cultivated plant in picture was photographed in Kirstenbosch during November.

The species distribution is in the Western Cape in a region including Paarl and Bainskloof. The plants grow on fynbos slopes. It is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (https://www.rhs.org.uk; www.pacificbulbsociety.org; http://redlist.sanbi.org).