''Freesia laxa'', commonly known as flowering grass,
[ is a small species of cormous flowering plant in the family Iridaceae, from eastern and southern Africa, from Kenya to northeastern South Africa.][ It is grown in gardens as an ornamental plant.
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Description
''Freesia laxa'' grows from corms, reaching about tall. The green leaves are arranged in a flat "fan" from which the flower stalk emerges. The flowers are flattened, about across. Their colour varies considerably. The ground colour is red, white or pale blue. The bases of the lowest three tepals usually have a darker marking, which may be red or purple, although it is absent in the pure white form. The seeds are bright red.[, p. 9][, p. 18]
It is native to the eastern side of southern Africa,[ from Kenya to South Africa,][ where it grows in somewhat moist conditions. It dies down to a corm in the winter, growing again at the end of spring and flowering in summer.][ In the wild, in the Southern Hemisphere, it flowers between October and December.][
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Systematics
This small bulbous species has been known by a variety of names. The name ''Gladiolus laxus'' was originally published by Carl Thunberg
Carl Peter Thunberg, also known as Karl Peter von Thunberg, Carl Pehr Thunberg, or Carl Per Thunberg (11 November 1743 – 8 August 1828), was a Swedish naturalist and an "apostle" of Carl Linnaeus. After studying under Linnaeus at Uppsala Un ...
in 1823. Peter Goldblatt
Peter Goldblatt (born 1943) is a South African botanist, working principally in the United States.
Life
Goldblatt was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on October 8, 1943. His undergraduate studies (B.Sc.) were undertaken at the University ...
transferred the species to ''Anomatheca laxa'' in 1971; Nicholas Brown changed it to ''Lapeirousia laxa'' in 1928; Goldblatt with his colleague John Charles Manning
John Charles Manning (born 1962) is a South African botanist based in the Compton Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute
The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is an organisation established in 2004 in ...
settled on ''Freesia laxa'' in 1995.John Lindley
John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist.
Early years
Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley w ...
described ''Anomatheca cruenta'' which John Baker John Baker or Jon Baker may refer to:
Military figures
*John Baker (American Revolutionary War) (1731–1787), American Revolutionary War hero, for whom Baker County, Georgia was named
*John Baker (RAF officer) (1897–1978), British air marshal
...
transferred to ''Lapeirousia cruenta'' in 1892.[
Forms with blue flowers are treated as ''Freesia laxa'' subsp. ''azurea'', other forms being placed in ''Freesia laxa'' subsp. ''laxa''.][
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Cultivation
''Freesia laxa'' is sufficiently hardy to be grown outdoors in all but the coldest parts of the British Isles.[ It requires a light soil and a sunny position. In colder areas, the corms can be lifted and dried off during the winter. It can be propagated by dividing groups of corms or by seed.][ It can be somewhat invasive through self-sowing when grown in favourable conditions.]var.
In botanical nomenclature, variety (abbreviated var.; in la, varietas) is a taxonomic rank below that of species and subspecies, but above that of form. As such, it gets a three-part infraspecific name. It is sometimes recommended that the ...
''alba'' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
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References
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External links
''Freesia laxa''
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q5501152
laxa
Garden plants
Flora of Africa
Plants described in 1823