Threatened Plant Species – Dierama pallidum

IRIDACEAE: Dierama pallidum [Vulnerable]

Dierama pallidum is a beautiful brightly colored plant found between Pietermaritzburg and Durban (Table Mountain, Valley of Thousand Hills, Mt. Vernon, Noodsberg and Inchanga). It grows on open stony and sandy grass slopes.

Dierama pallidum by Richard Boon

Dierama is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family, Iridaceae. Botanists rarely (if ever) use common names for plants, however, various species of Dierama are loosely known by common names such as Fairy’s Fishing Rods, Fairy’s Wands, Fairy Bells, Wedding Bells, Hairbells, Harebells. You will have noticed their similarities which refer to the bell-shaped flowers on slender scapes that bend gracefully under the weight of the inflorescences, nodding in the wind.

Dierama pallidum by Richard Boon

Dierama pallidum consists of either a single stem or a few growing in close groups. They have few and reduced enveloping leaves (about 4) which arise so close to the base of the stem they almost appear to come from the roots.

They have flowering stems that grow between 500–1000 mm. The inflorescence hang, with the lowermost flower stalk growing about 200 mm long. Flowers are somewhat crowded (tip of each bract reaching to or nearly to base of second bract above it). Dierama pallidum can be seen flowering from October to March.

Dierama pallidum

Bracts are about 20 mm long and 8 mm wide, narrowly egg-shaped and gradually narrowing to a long point on the tip, white with specks on midline and at the tip. Perianth (flora) is about 16 mm, tepals about 10 mm long and 5 mm wide, cream to pale yellow, rarely tinged pink or purple. Dierama pallidum is related to Dierama sertum, but can be distinguished by its white bracts where the veins diminish in the upper parts; flowers are crowded.

If you have seen this plant, please contact Mbali Mkhize, CREW programme: KZN Node Project Assistant m.mkhize@botanicalsociety.org.za

REFERENCE:

• HILLIARD, O.M. AND BURTT, B.L. 1991. Dierama: The hairbells of Africa. Acorn Books, Johannesburg and London.

Threatened Plant Species – Dierama luteo-albidum

IRIDACEAE: Dierama luteo-albidum [Vulnerable]

The genus name is derived from the Greek word dierama, meaning “funnel”, a helpful hint to the shape of the flower. Dierama luteo-albidum is a beautiful plant that appears to be confined to a very area of south central Natal growing in open grassland at altitudes of about 915−1700 m, from Nottingham Road to Pietermaritzburg.

Dierama luteo-albidum is readily distinguished from all other known species in Natal. They are solitary or in small clumps. The plant is 0.65−1 m long and is the fourth species of Dierama and first with whitish flowers.  The corm is densely covered with fiber tunic. Stems are long and drooping. Leaves have a cover at base, 3−4 leaves closely covering the stem and leaf bracts white to lightly flecked.

Dierama luteo-albidum flowers between October to December. Flowering stalks are very slender, and are closely sheathed to the lowest branch of the inflorescence by the leaves. Inflorescence (part of the plant bearing flowers and bracts) 2−5 branched, ± 5-flowered; about 80 mm. Perianth (floral organs) white, pale cream yellow, parallel sided and bell shaped.

Two species D. pulcherrimum and D. grandiflorum are similar to D. luteo-albidum. All of them have large bell-shaped flowers, but they all differ in the colour of the perianth.

Dierama luteo-albidum by Isabel Johnson

They are unfortunately threatened by forestry and heavy grazing on grasslands.

If you have seen this plant, please contact Mbali Mkhize, CREW programme: KZN Node Project Assistant m.mkhize@botanicalsociety.org.za

References:

• Hilliard, O.M. and Burtt, B.L. 1991. Dierama: The hairbells of Africa. Acorn Books, Johannesburg and London.
• Pooley, E. 1998. A field guide to wild flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern region. Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban.
• Verd, I.1942. Dierama luteo-albidum: Flowering Plants of South Africa xxii. t. 845.