Operation Wildflower
  • Home
  • Albums
  • Links
    • Botanical Gardens
    • OWF Sites
    • Public Parks, Gardens and Reserves
    • Reference Sites
    • Private Parks, Gardens and Reserves
  • Information
    • About Us
    • Articles
    • Contact Us
    • Disclaimer
    • Glossary
    • Plant Records
      • Aloes
      • Bulbs
      • Climbers
      • Cycads
      • Euphorbias
      • Ferns
      • Grasses
      • Herbs
      • Orchids
      • Parasites
      • Shrubs
      • Succulents
      • Trees
    • Sources of Information
    • Subject Index
Home Home » TYPES » Bulbs » Chasmanthe aethiopica fruit display
Back to Category Overview
Total images in all categories: 12,087
Total number of hits on all images: 7,392,947

Chasmanthe aethiopica fruit display

Chasmanthe aethiopica fruit display
Start View full size
[Please activate JavaScript in order to see the slideshow]
Previous Previous
Image 37 of 233  
Next Next
Image 39 of 233  
  • Bobartia orientalis subsp. orientalis fruiting
  • Boophone disticha
  • Boophone disticha heads that wouldn't roll
  • Boophone disticha in-curving leaves
  • Boophone disticha leaf and flower beginnings
  • Boophone disticha old fruit head
  • Boophone disticha out-curving leaves
  • Boophone disticha: En Garde!
  • Chasmanthe aethiopica fruit display
  • Chasmanthe floribunda
  • Clivia gardenii
  • Clivia miniata
  • Clivia miniata bearing fruit
  • Clivia miniata var. citrina
  • Clivia miniata var. miniata expanding
  • Clivia miniata var. miniata flowers
  • Clivia robusta

Image information

Description

The brightly coloured fruits of the cobra lily, Chasmanthe aethiopica, compete with their flowers for impact. The bright orange colouring among the green of late winter grass or shrub foliage vies well for being the most conspicuous item in the vicinity. Once the outer membrane or skin of the fruit capsule dries out and splits, the small cluster of spherical yellow-orange seeds shows up as in the photo.

This vivid colour is as functional for their dispersal as the flower colour was for pollination. Starlings and other birds will eat the fruit for the sweet outer covering. The unharmed seed is later deposited in a site promising unknown chances of success in life. The fruit cover is red-purple or maroon on the inside, beige on the outside as seen here. This spike of ripening fruits was photographed in September at Vermont.

Ample quantities of C. aethiopica seeds that grow easily are released from one successful spike. Gardeners of coastal towns in the south of the country will know them: If you had one plant in the garden last season, there may be a colony this year and for returning to colour more winters to come (Manning, 2007; www.plantzafrica.com).

Hits
1024
Photographer
Thabo Maphisa
Author
Ivan Latti
 
Back to Category Overview
Powered by JoomGallery