Entry for Dietes flavida Oberm. [family IRIDACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 12, Part 4, (1993) Author: P. Goldblatt
Names
Dietes flavidaOberm. [family IRIDACEAE], in Fl. Pl. Africa 149: Pl. 1488 (1967). — Goldblatt in Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 68: 148 (1981). TAB. 2 fig. B. Type from South Africa (Natal).
Information
Plants 50–70 cm high, forming clumps. Leaves 300–500 × 15–22 mm, narrowly lanceolate, glaucous. Stems branching irregularly, bearing long laminate leaves below, and reduced sheathing bract-like leaves above; stem bracts 30–50 mm long. Rhipidia spathes (40)45–50 mm long, the outer about half as long as the inner, obtuse to emarginate. Flowers pale-yellow, the outer tepals with brown nectar guides at the base of the limbs and spotted on the claws; outer tepals 30–40 mm long, claw c. 15 mm long, limb horizontal, 15–17 mm wide: inner tepals smaller, to 38 mm long. Filaments free, 4–6 mm long, broadened at the base, anthers 5–6 mm long. Ovary 10–14 mm long; style 2–3 mm long, branches c. 8 mm long and 3–4 mm wide; with crests 5–10 mm long, acute. Capsules pendent, 30–35 mm long, narrowly ovoid, smooth, dehiscing irregularly.
Habitat
Forest margins and lightly shaded areas.
Distribution
Mozambique M specimens have been seen from Namaacha, but no herbarium material is known.
Distribution (external)
South Africa (Natal. Transvaal and possibly Cape Province)
Swaziland
Notes
Easily confused with D. iridioides hut distinguished by the cream-coloured flowers and drooping. smooth-walled capsules.
