''Eriospermum capense'' is a species of geophytic plant of the genus ''

Eriospermum ''Eriospermum'' is a genus of tuberous flowering plants. It contains about 80-100 species, native to sub-Saharan Africa. Name The name "Eriospermum" is from the Greek ''erion'' for "wool" and ''sperma'' for "seed". In the APG III classificat ...

'', indigenous to the Western Cape Province,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

Description

The leaf is heart-shaped (7,5 cm long, 6 cm wide), suberect-to-spreading, and appears from April to October (Winter in southern hemisphere). The leaf is dark-green above, and red on its underside. Sometimes the upper side also has reddish ridges. The tuber is irregular-to-pear-shaped, with reddish-purple flesh. This species flowers from November to March.

Related species

Several related species, such as '' Eriospermum breviscapum'', '' Eriospermum pubescens'' and '' Eriospermum zeyheri'', have a similar heart-shaped leaf. However, the leaf of these species is usually prostrate; while the leaf of ''E.capense'' is more erect and spreading. The leaf of ''E.capense'' is also distinctly reddish on its underside, and slightly longer (75mm) than that of the other species (60mm) listed above. There are other specific distinctions. The leaf of '' Eriospermum zeyheri'' for example, is a slightly lighter green above, and not reddish below; the leaf is held flat against the ground, and the flowers are also distinct. The leaf of '' Eriospermum breviscapum''is fleshy and a more rounded heart-shape.

Distribution and habitat

''Eriospermum capense'' is widespread and common in the south-western winter-rainfall regions of

Subspecies

*''Eriospermum capense'' subspecies ''capense'' has a suberect, ovate, grey-green leaf that is usually hairless. This widespread subspecies extends northwards as far as the Namaqualand, and eastwards as far as

Grahamstown Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London, Eastern Cape, East London. Makhanda is the lar ...

. *''Eriospermum capense'' subspecies ''stoloniferum'' has scattered hairs on both sides of the prostrate, round, bright-green leaf, which sometimes has a ciliate and wavy margin. This subspecies occurs in clay soils on the

Cape Peninsula The Cape Peninsula ( af, Kaapse Skiereiland) is a generally mountainous peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. At the southern end of the peninsula are Cape Point and the Cape of ...

, Caledon, Malmesbury and Worcester areas, where it is especially common.

References

capense {{Asparagaceae-stub