Hesperantha petitiana

(A. Rich.) Baker

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc-sa

iNaturalist· cc-by

Description

A herb. It grows 8-30 cm high. It is similar to Hesperantha baurii. The corms are 7-12 mm across. There are 3-4 leaves. They are 2-6 mm wide. The flowering spike has 2-6 flowers. They are pink, light purple or white. The fruit is a capsule 10-15 mm long.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in highland areas. It grows in rocky sites above 1,800 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Cameroon, Central Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe,

Notes

Possibly edible. Plants can have different numbers of chromosomes.

Synonyms

Geissorhiza alpina Hook. f.Hesperantha alpina (Hook.f.) Pax ex Engl.Hesperantha kilimanjarica RendleHesperantha petitiana var. uniflora Hochst. ex BakerHesperantha petitiana var. volkensii (Harms) R. C. FosterHesperantha uniflora Hochst. ex A. Rich.Ixia hochstetteriana A. Rich.Ixia petitiana A. Rich.