Haemanthus sanguineus
Encyclopedia
Haemanthus sanguineus is a South Africa
n bulbous geophyte in the genus Haemanthus
that occurs in the fynbos
vegetation of the Western Cape
.
This endemic fynbos geophyte is dormant during the summer and cannot be seen. In the autumn a striking crimson inflorescence emerges from the ground. This consists of a crimson stem that bears a mass of tiny red, crimson and yellow individual flowers.
The plant then produces two circular leathery leaves in the autumn and winter. These lie flat on the ground and are typically edged with scarlet hairs. They are a deep green on the upper surface and underneath are covered in pink and red spots.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n bulbous geophyte in the genus Haemanthus
Haemanthus
Haemanthus is a Southern African genus of Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae, with some 22 known species, endemic to South Africa, Namibia and the kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland...
that occurs in the fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
vegetation of the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
.
This endemic fynbos geophyte is dormant during the summer and cannot be seen. In the autumn a striking crimson inflorescence emerges from the ground. This consists of a crimson stem that bears a mass of tiny red, crimson and yellow individual flowers.
The plant then produces two circular leathery leaves in the autumn and winter. These lie flat on the ground and are typically edged with scarlet hairs. They are a deep green on the upper surface and underneath are covered in pink and red spots.