The Genus
Some History
The Sections
Campylia
Chorisma
Ciconium
Cortusina
Glaucophyllum
Hoarea
Isopetalum
Jenkinsonia
Ligularia
Myrrhidium
Otidia
Pelargonium
Peristera
Polyactium
Reniformia
Subsucculentia
Sectionless
Further Reading
Links & resources
PELARGONIUM NOTES
South Afr. J. Bot. 90 (2014) 118-127
Section Hoarea
Habit
Deciduous geophyte, 90-200 mm tall when in flower, tuber turnip-shaped, elongated or moniliform root.
Leaves
Radical, simple, seldom auriculate or trilobate, green, petiolate, lamina ovate, 15-44 x 9-30 mm, apex acute to rounded, base cuneate, margin entire, sometimes serrate, adaxially and abaxially covered with long very small-headed glandular hairs, abaxially appressed stiff hairs along main veins, margins ciliate with long and short patent hairs. Stipules membraneous, subulate almost completely adnate to petioles, ciliate.
Inflorescence
Scape, bearing 2-3 pseudo-umbellets, each 2-5-flowered. Pedicel ca. 0.5 mm.
Credit: ©Lennart Nelson, reproduced with permission of the author.
Sepals
5, posterior one erect, others patent, 7.5-8.5 x 1.5-3.5 mm, lanceolate, apices acute, reddish green with pale margins. Hypanthium 45-58 mm long [20-58 mm, Ed.], reddish brown, densely covered with appressed curly hairs interspersed with long small-headed glandular hairs.
Petals
5, cream-yellow [or light pink, Ed.], spathulate, patent, flower bell-shaped during anthesis, posterior two slightly curved backwards, with dark pink feather-like markings, 17-23 x 6-8 mm, length/width ratio 2.5-3, apices emarginate, anterior three 16-21 x 6-6.5 mm, apices rounded.
Stamens
5 fertile, white, concealed within the floral sheath, posterior filament 2.5-3 mm long, lateral two 4-5 mm, anterior two 5-6 mm long, shorter than the sepals, anthers dark red, pollen orange.
Distribution
Habitat
This is another miniature species so it's no wonder that it took so long to discover and describe. In addition, it is found in the rare remnants of the Overberg renosterveld. Before the above-featured pink flowering and quite sizeable populations were found close to Heidelberg, the taxon was only known from about 4 small populations.
The plants often hide beneath shrubs and close to tufts of grass, as above, so can be difficult to spot. The area is not very dry and normally receives 500-600 mm of rainfall. Flowering time is in October and November.
Section Hoarea
Habit
Deciduous geophyte, 90-200 mm tall when in flower, tuber turnip-shaped, elongated or moniliform root.
Leaves
Radical, simple, seldom auriculate or trilobate, green, petiolate, lamina ovate, 15-44 x 9-30 mm, apex acute to rounded, base cuneate, margin entire, sometimes serrate, adaxially and abaxially covered with long very small-headed glandular hairs, abaxially appressed stiff hairs along main veins, margins ciliate with long and short patent hairs. Stipules membraneous, subulate almost completely adnate to petioles, ciliate.
Inflorescence
Scape, bearing 2-3 pseudo-umbellets, each 2-5-flowered. Pedicel ca. 0.5 mm.
Credit: ©Lennart Nelson, reproduced with permission of the author.
Sepals
5, posterior one erect, others patent, 7.5-8.5 x 1.5-3.5 mm, lanceolate, apices acute, reddish green with pale margins. Hypanthium 45-58 mm long [20-58 mm, Ed.], reddish brown, densely covered with appressed curly hairs interspersed with long small-headed glandular hairs.
Petals
5, cream-yellow [or light pink, Ed.], spathulate, patent, flower bell-shaped during anthesis, posterior two slightly curved backwards, with dark pink feather-like markings, 17-23 x 6-8 mm, length/width ratio 2.5-3, apices emarginate, anterior three 16-21 x 6-6.5 mm, apices rounded.
Stamens
5 fertile, white, concealed within the floral sheath, posterior filament 2.5-3 mm long, lateral two 4-5 mm, anterior two 5-6 mm long, shorter than the sepals, anthers dark red, pollen orange.
Distribution
Habitat
This is another miniature species so it's no wonder that it took so long to discover and describe. In addition, it is found in the rare remnants of the Overberg renosterveld. Before the above-featured pink flowering and quite sizeable populations were found close to Heidelberg, the taxon was only known from about 4 small populations.
The plants often hide beneath shrubs and close to tufts of grass, as above, so can be difficult to spot. The area is not very dry and normally receives 500-600 mm of rainfall. Flowering time is in October and November.
Marais E. M. (2014).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
ISSN 2464-014X.