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indigenous

You have to agree, these plants

are unexpected and gorgeous.
There are many treasures hidden
under our Kalahari soil, and corms

are definitely one of them.

A corm is described as a short, vertical,
swollen underground plant stem that serves
as a storage organ that some plants use to
survive winter or other adverse conditions
such as summer drought and heat. Which
explains how these surprisingly beautiful
plants live and thrive here.

The colour of Ornithoglossum viride’s (right)
flowers are so purple-black that they should
have been a star at Chelsea’s Flower show
ages ago, and Ferraria glutinosa (opposite page)
is another show-stopper. Both are found in
our sandier regions - Central and Kweneng
districts. Gladiolus (below right) we expect
to see in wetter regions, but this particular
species grows in the rocky areas around the
Kgatleng district, and the Lapeirousia (below
left) is dainty but just as hardy, and also grows
in our rockier regions. Text and Pics by S.C

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