letting nature back in

After the recent fires much of the landscape is still barren and bleak. A little rain has coaxed some grasses and resprouters into sparse patches of green, but on the low-lying sandy flats thousands of candelabra lilies (Brunsvigia orientalis) have, almost literally, burst into bloom in an explosion of crimson colour. The sight is even more impressive as little else is flowering.

Borne on a fat single stem, the stalks of the ball-shaped inflorescence/flowerhead branch out from the centre, each stalk bearing a crimson flower. The structure is reminiscent of a candelabra, hence the common name. The flowers are pollinated mostly by sunbirds, with the stalks providing sturdy perches for the birds.

On the right (in the photo above), a candelabra lily stalk has recently sprouted from its large underground tuber and the flower buds are starting to protrude at the top to eventually extend into the candelabra shape. Like other Brunsvigias, the candelabra lily remains dormant until late summer when flowering commences.

This metal casting in bronze and silver of an entire Brunsvigia orientalis, including tuber and roots, by South African botanical sculptor Nic Bladen (https://www.nicbladen.com/) reveals the underground parts of the plant that sustains it during dormancy, when it is flowering and fruiting, and the subsequent production of a rosette of large flat leaves that lie on the surface of the ground during the rainy months of winter. I photographed this sculpture by Nic Bladen at the Grootbos Florilegium gallery (https://www.grootbos.com/en/florilegium)

As I don’t have a photo of the leaves, above is a screenshot from Google Images. The large flat leaves are produced after the flowerhead has dried and broken off. The leaves store up nutrients during the wet months of autumn and winter, drying off in the summer when the bulbs are dormant. When the flowers emerge at the end of the summer, no trace of the leaves remains visible.

A closer view of the ball-shaped candelabra structure protruding on its fat stem above the bare ground.  The flowerhead can be up to 60 cm (24 inches) in diameter, with stems supporting between 20 to 80 flowers.

As the seeds start to develop the entire flowerhead dries off. Eventually it snaps off the stem and rolls along like a tumble-weed. The fleshy seed capsules at the tips break off as the flowerhead tumbles along, and the seeds germinate very quickly. Seeds may even begin to germinate when the seed capsule is still attached to the stalks. The timing is such that the new plants have the entire wet winter season during which they can become established. The tumble-weed characteristic of the candelabra lily gives rise to two names in Afrikaans: perdespookbossie, which alludes to it being a bush that spooks horses that are presumably startled by the tumbling flowerhead. The second name, rolbossie, reflects it being a bush that rolls.

A closer look (above) at the stalks and flowers. The flattening of the stalk visible at the base of each flower is where the seed capsule will develop. It is also clear how the stalk provides a secure perch for visiting sunbirds seeking nectar from each flower.

When a visiting sunbird inserts its bill deep into the flower to access the nectar, pollen is deposited on the bird’s head and bill to be transferred to subsequent flowers visited, and so pollination takes place.

Candelabra lilies in flower on the sandy flats that are still largely barren after the the recent fires with the burnt-off larger vegetation visible in the background. The Kleinrivier Mountains form the distant horizon. Candelabra lilies flower from February to April in response to late summer and early autumn rain. The flowering is more prolific after fire because the overhead scrub has been burned away, reducing shade and competition. Plus, the ash from the recently burnt vegetation provides a boost of nutrition to the soil. In our region this year, the candelabra lilies responded in full flowering force to the recent fires that were followed by unusual late summer rains.

The above photo shows how the candelabra lilies relieve the bleakness of the post-fire landscape.

Even more bleak are the burnt remains of numerous angulate tortoises, such as the one above, that we saw amongst the flowers. This sad sight is a reminder of the toll fires take on wildlife.

In case you are wondering from where the botanical name, Brunsvigia orientalis, derives, the genus is named for Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand (1735–1806), Duke of Braunschweig (Brunswick), in 1755 by Lorenz Heister, who was a German botanist in addition to being a professor of anatomy and surgery. Brunsvigias belong to the Amaryllis family. The species name orientalis, meaning eastern, results from the mistaken belief that the plant came from India. In fact, it is endemic to the winter rainfall regions of South Africa.

Sources:

🔖Bladen, Nic. 2022. Nic Bladen. Botanical Sculptor. https://www.nicbladen.com/; 🔖Botanical Society of South Africa. 2020. Autumn colours: A closer look at Brunsvigias. https://botanicalsociety.org.za/autumn-colours-a-closer-look-at-brunsvigias/; 🔖Forrester, Jane 2003. Brunsvigia orientalis. PlantZAfrica. South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). https://pza.sanbi.org/brunsvigia-orientalis; 🔖Grootbos Florilegium. [n.d.] The Grootbos Florilegium: An unforgettable journey. https://www.grootbos.com/en/florilegium/about; 🔖Michaelangelo Foundation. [n.d.] Nic Bladen: Botanical sculptor, Cape Town, South Africa. Homo Faber. https://www.homofaber.com/en/artisans/nic_bladen-botanical_sculpting-cape_town;🔖Privett, Sean & Lutazeyer, Heiner, 2010. Field Guide to the Flora of Grootbos Nature Reserve and the Walker Bay Region. [Hermanus]: Grootbos Foundation. ISBN 978-0-620-47805-2; 🔖Wamono, Carolyne. [n.d.] From Flora to Fine Metal: Exploring the Botanical Artistry of Nic Bladen. Out of Africa. https://www.outofsouthafrica.com/blogs/spotlight-on/from-flora-to-fine-metal-exploring-the-botanical-artistry-of-nic-bladen

Posted by Carol