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Veltheimia capensis is native to the drier northwestern, western, southwestern and southern parts of South Africa, and to southwestern Namibia. The flowers have long, narrow perianth tubes and short, slightly flared tepals. Rapid leaf growth takes place in autumn and early winter, and flowering ensues from mid-autumn to mid-winter. Vegetatively it is distinguished from Lachenalia by its large, globose or ovoid bulb surrounded by layers of papery outer tunics, with a prominent basal plate and perennial fleshy roots, and by its relatively large basal rosette of broadly lance-shaped or inversely lance-shaped leaves.

Bulbs of V. The leaves of V. Both species are winter growing, but V. Within the family Hyacinthaceae, Veltheimia forms part of the tribe Massonieae , to which its near relative Lachenalia also belongs. Vegetatively, however, they are set apart by a combination of bulb and leaf characters, and they differ in flowering time, distribution and habitat. The 6 stamens are slightly curved and arise from the perianth tube in 2 whorls at different levels, comprising 3 stamens per whorl.

Veltheimia capensis was originally described by Linnaeus as Aletris capensis in the second edition of his Systema naturae in , and in , it was renamed and illustrated in watercolour in volume 4 of Les liliacées as a species of Veltheimia by the Belgian flower painter, Pierre Joseph Redouté. The ripe fruit is a large, papery, 6-sided capsule comprising 3 compartments locules with 3 prominent wings.

Each compartment contains 1 or 2 seeds, and when ripe, the capsule opens from the tip. This species is suited to cultivation in full or partial sun in frost-free environments. Veltheimia is endemic to South Africa and Namibia and comprises 2 species, V. Both are variable and often confused, as they are not easily distinguishable with regard to floral characters. The leaves wither and die back in late spring, and the bulbs remain completely dormant throughout summer.

Veltheimia capensis (Elephant's Eye, Forest Lily, Quarobe, Sand Lily, Waved leaved Veltheimia, Winter Veltheimia) - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

It occurs from Namuskluft in southwestern Namibia, southwards throughout the Richtersveld and Namaqualand, along the west coast to Atlantis, in the De Hoop Nature Reserve, east of Bredasdorp, further east in the southern Cape, and in the Baviaanskloof Mountains in the southwestern part of the Eastern Cape. Each flower is produced at the tip of a short flower stalk pedicel and is subtended by a lance-shaped bract and 1 or more narrower bracteoles.

The rigid, purple- or maroon-spotted flower stem peduncle emerges from the centre of the rosette and is coated with a greyish powdery bloom. The hard, pear-shaped seeds are matte black, with a heavily wrinkled coat, and have a prominent narrow, terminal structure known as a strophiole. It differs further by the presence of bracteoles at the base of the flower stalks, and by its very short, almost completely fused tepals.

The upper part of the bulb is often exposed and the entire bulb is enclosed with layers of papery, creamy white outer tunics, which are sometimes barred with light brown. In the De Hoop Nature Reserve, it is confined to limestone outcrops, and in the Great Karoo, it is associated with stony flats and dolerite rocky outcrops.

Veltheimia capensis - PlantZAfrica

The flower stem carries a dense, cone-like raceme of narrow, pendent or nodding, uniformly pink, pink-speckled or rarely light yellow, tubular flowers, sometimes with cream-coloured tips. On the west coast of the Northern and Western Cape, it is usually encountered on granite outcrops, growing in rock crevices among bushes in partial shade of boulders, as well as on exposed sandy flats.

The narrowly or broadly lance-shaped or inversely lance-shaped leaves are variable in colour, width, length and orientation. The genus Veltheimia honours the German mineralogist and geologist, Count August Ferdinand von Veltheim — , and was established in by his compatriot, the botanist Johann Gottlieb Gleditsch. According to the Red List of South African plants website , consulted on 19 June , Veltheimia capensis is assessed as Least Concern LC , which indicates that it is considered at low risk of extinction, because of its widespread distribution.

A new rosette of leaves emerges in early autumn, often together with the developing flower head. It is a sought-after container plant, and its plentiful nectar attracts sunbirds. It also occurs inland in the vicinity of Worcester and in the Little Karoo, as well as in the western and southern Great Karoo. In addition, it stands apart in having much larger, broadly winged, inflated, papery seed capsules that are unique within the family, and in having much larger, pear-shaped seeds.

The journal illustrated his expedition to Namaqualand between and , and the illustrated plant had been found west of Bitterfontein, on the north-western coast of the Western Cape. Veltheimia capensis is an autumn- and winter-flowering bulb with striking rosettes of wavy or curled, grey-blue leaves and pendent, pink-speckled flowers. They are arranged in a suberect, arching, spreading or prostrate rosette and are greyish green or bluish grey, slightly or strongly channeled, and have slightly or heavily wavy or curled margins.

The earliest reference to the plant now known as Veltheimia capensis is a watercolour drawing dating from the late 17th century, probably by the German painter Heinrich Claudius, illustrating a bulb with leaves, flowers, fruit and seed, which appeared in the journal of Simon van der Stel, Dutch Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. Various names published by subsequent authors including Aletris glauca Aiton, Veltheimia deasii P.

Barnes, V. Phillips, were later found to be synonymous with V. The specific name capensis is descriptive of the former Cape Province of South Africa, where this species was first collected. This deciduous, winter-growing geophyte, reaches mm high in flower and grows from an egg-shaped or globose, fleshy bulb, with a prominent basal plate, from which perennial, fleshy roots arise.

The anthers have yellow pollen and remain hidden within the flowers, but the style is sometimes shortly protruding and slightly curved at its tip. Veltheimia capensis is a deciduous, winter-growing geophyte adapted to cool, moist winters, and hot, dry summers.