Species
Hesperantha cucullata
Common Name(s)
Aandblom (Afrikaans, meaning 'evening flower')
Authority
Hesperantha cucullata Klatt
Family
Iridaceae
Brief Description
Leaves emerge from corms in late winter; flowers August-September (in NZ), 6 white tepals with the 3 outer ones pink-purple on outer surfaces (so the unopened buds are pink-purple).
Flora Category
Vascular - Exotic
Structural Class
Monocotyledonous Herbs
Features
Leaves emerge from corms in late winter; flowers August-September (in NZ), 6 white tepals with the 3 outer ones pink-purple on outer surfaces (so the unopened buds are pink-purple). Flowers open late afternoon and remain open until after dark, scented.
Flower Colours
Violet / Purple,White
Fruiting
Seeds freely into lawns or gravel near planted specimens.
Year Naturalised
2016
Origin
South Africa
Reason for Introduction
Ornamental - sold as cut flower and as corms (I Bell, pers. comm.; sometimes sold, incorrectly, as H. baurii)
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Colin C Ogle, Oct 2016
This page last updated on 14 Oct 2016