About Geissorhiza aspera Goldblatt
Geissorhiza aspera Goldblatt is a velvety-stemmed geophyte that typically grows 10–35 cm (3.9–13.8 in) tall. Soil conditions and moisture affect plant height, so individual plants may be larger or smaller than this typical range. Each plant may branch up to three times, though branching does not always occur. Its corm is covered in woody tunics. It produces sword-shaped leaves with thickened margins and midribs; plants normally have three leaves, each around the same length as the stem or slightly longer. Star-shaped flowers bloom in August and September, and flowering is best after a wet winter. Each inflorescence holds between three and seven flowers. Flowers are usually dark blue or violet, sometimes with a darker center. Northern populations growing in Olifants River Valley, Gifberg, and near Bitterfontein are often white, and these white-flowered plants may still have blue on the outer surfaces of their tepals. The filaments are usually uneven in length, particularly in northern populations. As flowers open, the green floral bracts dry out and turn rusty brown at their tips. Plants typically set seed in October. This species is endemic to South Africa. Before 2012, it was thought to be restricted to the Western Cape, until a population was discovered in Namaqualand, Northern Cape. It grows between Gifberg and Agulhas, and is most common on moist sandy soils at altitudes of 70–100 m (230–330 ft). Its flowers are most commonly pollinated by monkey beetles, which are attracted to the darker area at the flower center. It is also known to be pollinated by the Cape honey bee, a Braunsapsis species, Anisonyx ursus, a bombyllid species, and Anthophora diversipes.
