Family: Iridaceae
Watsonia marginata
Citation:
Ker Gawler, Curtis's Bot. Mag. 17:t. 608 (1802).
Synonymy: Gladiolus marginatus L.f., Suppl. 95 (1782).
Common name: None
Description:
Perennial to 1.2 m high; corm 5-6 cm diam.; leaves lanceolate to sword-shaped, 25-45 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, glabrous, glaucous, with a prominent mid-vein and smooth yellowish margins thickened to 1 mm.
Spike simple or with few branches, dense; spathes acuminate, 1.2-1.8 cm long, scarious, straw-coloured; flowers actinomorphic, pale-pink; perianth tube narrow-cylindric, 1.3-1.5 cm long, c. 1 mm wide, dilated to 2-3 mm at the apex; lobes all spreading, obovate, apiculate, equal, 1.3-2 cm long, 7-10 mm wide; stamens equilateral, erect, alternating with 3 minute staminodes; anthers 6-8 mm long, yellow; style branches very short, 2-fid, hardly exceeding the stamens.
Capsule ovoid, acute, 8-12 mm long, blackish.
Published illustration:
Mason (1972) Western Cape sandveld flowers, t. 26.
Distribution:
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A garden ornamental persisting where corms have been dumped.
S.Aust.: FR, SL. W.Aust.; Vic. Native to South Africa.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: Sept., Oct.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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