In December, Mountainlands puts on a floral jacket to celebrate the joy of summer. The grasslands are speckled with an abundance of flowers waving like smiling faces in the sun. The varieties are many, but the pink watsoniias are a highlight due to their magnificent colourful display against the backdrop of the waving grasslands.
Be on the lookout for the following plants that will be flowering: Agapanthus inapertus, Pelargonium luridum, Hemizygia pretoriae, Bauhinia galpinii and Kniphofia multiflora, to name but a few of the more general ones.
Is it Watsoniia or Gladiolus?
How does one distinguish between a Watsoniia and Gladiolus from the Iridacea family? Jo Onderstall, a plant specialist and journalist who has published several books٭ on flowers of the Lowveld gave the following advice:
“There’s apparently no really short answer for the laymen, but one botanist in Pretoria gave me a tip and so far it has worked for me.
The tip of the pistil of Gladiolus is divided into three segments. So is the pistil of the Watsoniia, but each of the three segments is again divided into two – the detailed botanical description says deeply lobed. By the way, when looking at flowers in the veldt, it is always advisable to carry a small hand lens in your pocket! It’s amazingly useful and has helped me to see wee little blooms in all their glory – especially aspects like petal texture.” – Jo Onderstall.
Watsoniia
Bauhinia galpinii
٭Mrs. Onderstall’s books – a welcome addition to any library:
1984: Transvaal Lowveld and Escarpment: Wild Flower Guide no 4: Botanical Society. (English edition out of print for many years – Afrikaans still available from Botanical Society)
1986: Sappi Wild Flower Guide: Mpumalanga and Northern Province: Dynamic Ad. (English only – can be ordered through Exclusive Books or from Jacana).
