1. New Albums and some changes
The latest genera Albums added to the Operation Wildflower Site are the ones on Ursinia, Romulea and Cotula. This means that photos and stories of plants belonging to these genera already on the Site have been moved from the more general Albums called Herbs, Shrubs and Bulbs into their own new Albums under Genera.
There is a genus Album in every case where enough material has been accumulated to warrant a stand-alone grouping of photos and stories. There are now more than 150 such Albums on genera of South African plants. The biggest ones (most photos) belong to the genera Crassula, Euphorbia, Pelargonium and Aloe. Keep watching, more will be added! If there is no genus Album yet on the plant you are looking for, check under Types or the Search Box.
In order to access all items on a plant of interest, the Search Box should be used, entering the botanical name of the plant. Most photos and stories on a particular plant are likely to be posted under Genera, (or if there are only few of them, in the conglomerate categories under Types). Habitat, Regions or Parks and Gardens may also contain some material on a species searched for, showing in the list generated when using the Search Box. The latest Parks and Gardens Album is the one on the Quiver Tree Forest.
2. How to use the Comments facility in the Albums
Any visitor to this Site can now register and log in as a registered user to comment on any Album item. The comment, question or suggestion regarding the selected item is submitted via email to the Editor.
New text or photo material on a South African plant can also be submitted for consideration by registered users. The final editing and posting of accepted material are done on this Site by the Editor only. The Site does not remunerate contributors for such input. Please ensure that the correct name of the photographer and/or author of text is furnished for inclusion with such a posting. All rights are reserved and the Editor’s decision is final.
Other enquiries or general communication regarding the Site can be submitted to the Webmaster.
|
Botanical name |
Bonatea antennifera |
|
Other names |
Bonatea speciosa, var. antennifera |
|
Family |
Orchidaceae |
|
Dimensions |
Terrestrial orchid with green and white flowers, sometimes over 50 cm in height; dormant in winter |
|
Description of stem |
Erect light green flower stalk with decreasing leaf size upwards |
|
Description of leaves |
Grey-green leaves that encircle the stem and taper to a sharp point, mildly undulating |
|
Description of flowers |
Green and white flowers on the single stem forms the atteactive inflorescence that sometimes topples when many flowers are produced; the top sepal is a pointed hood over the protruding other flower parts, dominated by two green, curved sepals, long white terete petals and a dangling lip |
|
Description of seed/fruit |
|
|
Description of roots |
Flat, elongated tuber |
|
Variation |
Seems to be very stable in form and appearance? |
|
Propagation and cultivation |
Tuberoids can be planted in pots in a suitable orchid mix, 2 cm below the surface; water only during the growing season, about August when new growth appears; repot every 5 years; semi-shade |
|
Tolerances |
|
|
Uses |
Garden plant |
|
Ecological rarity |
Not threatened |
|
Pests and diseases |
Little seems to affect the plants in habitat (observed in the Magaliesberg) |
|
Other |
Closely related to B. speciosa; there are over 20 species in the Bonatea genus, many of which occur in southern and tropical Africa |
|
Location |
Grows in semi-shade under trees and shrubs in drier environments, often in thorn savannah |
|
Distribution |
Gauteng, Northwest, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape provinces |
|
Country |
South Africa; Zimbabwe |
