Geissorhiza radians

Species of flowering plant

Geissorhiza radians

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Plantae
Clade:  | Tracheophytes
Clade:  | Angiosperms
Clade:  | Monocots
Order:  | Asparagales
Family:  | Iridaceae
Genus:  | Geissorhiza
Species:  |

G. radians

Binomial name
Geissorhiza radians

Goldblatt

Synonyms

Geissorhiza rochensis var. rochensis

Geissorhiza radians or winecup flower is a highly threatened species from the Iris family with fewer than 10 remaining sub-populations growing in south-western Cape Town, South Africa.[1] The deep purple flowers with large, red centres grow in dense colonies, which makes for a spectacular flower display from mid-September, particularly around the town of Darling. Its seasonally wet lowlands habitat is, however, becoming increasingly threatened, with more than 80% of its original habitat now permanently transformed into agriculture or urban sprawl and the remaining populations threatened by encroaching invasive alien vegetation and fertilizer runoff. The dark-centred flowers aim to attract specific pollinators from the horsefly family (Tabanidae), but the specific interactions still require additional investigation. Each plant has 1 to 6 flowers. It is also found in smaller patches through to Gordon's Bay. The plants nearly always occur in seasonally moist wetlands which become dry in the summer months.[2]

## Growing

[edit]

The plant normally starts to flower after 3 years after being planted, they can be grown from a pot or lawn if sufficient moisture is provided. It might be hard to buy this plant since it is rare.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Geissorhiza radians in Tropicos".
2. ^ "Geissorhiza radians | PlantZAfrica". pza.sanbi.org. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
3. ^ "Geissorhiza radians | PlantZAfrica". pza.sanbi.org. Retrieved 2023-12-12.

## External links

[edit]

* Raimondo, D.; Helme, N.A. (2012). "Geissorhiza radians - Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants". redlist.sanbi.org. Retrieved 2023-08-09. (Thunb.) Goldblatt. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1.
* Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Geissorhiza radians". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.
* Media related to Geissorhiza radians at Wikimedia Commons
* Data related to Geissorhiza radians at Wikispecies

Taxon identifiers

Geissorhiza radians|

* Wikidata: Q15548046
* Wikispecies: Geissorhiza radians
* ARKive: geissorhiza-radians
* CoL: 6JYZB
* GBIF: 2743418
* iNaturalist: 119452
* IPNI: 912481-1
* Open Tree of Life: 3998604
* Plant List: kew-327632
* POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:912481-1
* SANBI: 1535-85
* Tropicos: 16601073
* WFO: wfo-0000789032