Othonna parviflora [Giant Baboon-Cabbage]

[nfoto]

Rørslett, B. 2022. Othonna parviflora P.J. Bergius, non L. Asteraceae. Giant Baboon-Cabbage. South-African flowers photographed in ultraviolet (UV) and visible light. LINK

 

This is a large perennial shrubby plant of rocky and dry upland soils that can grow to a height of 2.5m. It has large cymes with yellow flower heads and cabbage-like foliage along the stout stems.

 

There is some confusion about the correct name as the name Othonna parviflora L., frequently seen in use for this taxon, is reported to be a synonym to O. quinquedentata Thunb., the latter can grow up to 4m tall. However according to photos of it seen on http://www.africanplants.senckenberg.de/root/index.php?page_id=78&id=6375, O. quinquedentata has flower heads with far fewer rays, the inflorescences are much more sparse and open, and the leaves narrower and smaller. However with the genus being large and adequate floras hard to get, if they even exist, the identification here is tentative.

 

I found and photographed this plant on a slope of the Cederberg Mountains, Northern Cape.

 

Othonnia parviflora is found in the Cape provinces of South Africa (map from http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=100721),

 

 

 

The habit and  general growing environment shown below,

 

 

 

 

The flower heads seen in ultraviolet (UV) show a uniform dull greyish rendition,

 

The disc florets might stand out more bright, though.

 

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

 

[Published 10 February, 2022]

 

 

[Andy Perrin]

If you hadn't told us otherwise, I would have guessed the photo was monochrome. Such a grey flower.