Family Amaryllidaceae
Description
Brunsvigia radulosa is a bulbous herb with a large bulb, 60-100 mm in diameter, and with a short neck. The bulb is covered with hard brown tunics. There are 4-6 leaves, usually present at or after flowering, spreading flat on the ground, large, up to 500 x 200 mm, very thick and tough with rough surfaces and margin. The species name refers to this roughness. The inflorescence consists of up to 75 flowers, individually pedicelled (stalked), on a thick, flattened and solid peduncle (inflorescence stalk), forming a large umbel. Pedicels lengthen after fertilization until the seeds ripen. The perianth tube of the flower is short, up to 5 mm long; segments deep pink to pale purple,, 40-60 x ± 8 mm. The stamens curve upwards, and are about the same length as the perianth. The capsule is papery, about 15 mm long. At maturity the inflorescence detaches from the peduncle and becomes an excellent dispersal mechanism as it tumbles across the ground in the wind. The capsules split or break open and release the fleshy seeds over long distances.
The species is now known to be widespread from Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern half of Northern Cape. It is also known from Swaziland and Lesotho and from a few records from southern Botswana.
Brunsvigia radulosa is a very striking bulbous plant of the family Amaryllidaceae that grows and flowers spectacularly from December to February in the grasslands of the eastern parts of South Africa and Swaziland.
