Moraea miniata [Pronktulp]

[nfoto]

Rørslett, B. 2022. Moraea miniata Andrews. Iridaceae. Pronktulp. South-African flowers photographed in ultraviolet (UV) and visible light. LINK

 

Pronktulp (Afrikaans) = Showy Tulip

 

Moraea miniata belongs to the large genus Moraea, which all are geophytes and many have distinctly Iris-like flowers. M. miniata belongs to the Homeria-group and stands out by its peculiar, pale salmon-coloured flowers and the filiform rather grass-like foliage. It is a member of the highly diversified and colourful plant communities on dry plain that make up the spring blooms. I found this species at the plains around Niewodtville, Bokkenveld, North Cape. It was identified according to the keys in Manning & Goldblatt (2012).

 

The species is endemic to the Cape provinces of South Africa (map from http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=22068),

 

 

Habit showing the slender foliage and the conspicuous sheaths which are rolled around the stems branches beneath the flowers,

 

A close-up of the flower,

 

The corolla is highly reflective in ultraviolet (UV), with central parts forming a bulls-eye pattern,

 

All images on this page are copyright Birna Rørslett and may not be used without explicit permission of the author.

 

Literature:

MANNING, J. & GOLDBLATT, P. 2012. Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: the Core
Cape flora, Strelitzia 29. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.

 

[Published 10 February, 2022, last update 11 February, 2022]

[colinbm]

Wonderful

[ulf]

This one is extremely good at mimicry, having a bug or two inside. 

(joking)