Chasmanthe aethiopica  N. E. Br.                                                                       =Antholyza aethiopica   Iridaceae (Iris Family)                                                                    South Africa   Chasmanthe

                                          April Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Perennial; corm large and globose with thin brown tunics; sts. 9-12 dm., usually branched above, spathe-valves greenish, 1.2-1.8 cm. long; basal lvs. in a rosette. sword-shaped, 3.0-4.5 dm. long and 2.5 cm. broad; fls. red-yellow, 4.0-6.5 cm. long,  the slender tube part 1.2 cm. or less long, the cylindrical curved part 2.5 cm. long; upper segms. long and slender, 2.5-3.0 cm., continuing the curve of the tube, the other 5 much smaller, 1.2 cm. or less long, spreading; stamens and style equaling or exceeding upper segms.

Habitat:  Escape from cultivation.  Much cultivated in North America.  (Bailey 282).

Name:  Greek, Chasman-the, gaping flower, alluding to the gaping mouth of the perianth.  (Bailey 282).  Latin, Aethiopicus, Ethiopian.  (Bailey 10).  (Jaeger 288).  The species name would indicate that this plant is from Ethiopia, however, Bailey says it originates in South Africa.  (my comment).

General:  Rare in the study area, only one clump of plants known and this on the bluff below Eastbluff North, about a third of the way down from the bluff top.  In March 2001, I found another clump of the species on the bay side of Back Bay Dr. and closer to Eastbluff Dr. than the original 1999 find. (my comments).       Until recently, this plant was treated as belonging to the genus Antholyza, a much misinterpreted genus.  (Bailey 282).

Text Ref:  Bailey 282.

Photo Ref: Mar-April 99 #16A,17A,20A.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

First Found:  April 1999.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 515.

Plant specimen donated to UC Riverside in 2004. 

Last edit  8/5/05.

                                              April Photo