Boophone disticha (L.f.) Herb.

Images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record

Photo: Bart Wursten
Globe Rock, Vumba

Photo: Bart Wursten
Main Rd near Rusape

Photo: Rob Burrett
Silveria House, Chisawasha Mission. Off Arcturus Road beyond Lefarge Cement

Photo: Rob Jarvis
c. 10km from Rusape along road to Harare

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Boophane disticha (L.f.) Herb. Boophone toxicaria (L.f.) Herb.
Common names:	Ingcotho (Ndebele) Munzepete (Shona) Tumbleweed (English) Veld fan (English) Windball (English)
Frequency:	Common
Status:	Native
Description:	Bulb up to 25 cm in diameter, the apex often emergent from the ground. Leaves up to 60 × 1.5-4 cm, greyish-green or glaucous, developing after the flowers. Scape 5-30 cm, with a spherical inflorescence of 50-100 (or more) flowers. pedicels 3-8 cm at anthesis, elongating to 40 cm in fruit, angular. Flowers pink to dark purple; tube 0.5-2 cm, narrowly funnel-shaped, always shorter than segments; segments 2-3 × 0.2-0.4 cm, recurved towards apex. Capsule up to 3 cm, irregularly dehiscent.
Notes:	The flowers (image 3) appear from a large bulb and are very noticeable after veld fires. The dried stalks and fruits of the inflorescence form "tumble weeds" (image 1), which, rolled by the wind, disperse the seeds. The leaves only appear after the flowers are finished and form a distinct upright fan (image 2).
Derivation of specific name:	disticha: distichous or 2-ranked, referring to the the fan of leaves all held in the same plane.
Habitat:	Widespread in open woodland and grassland
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	Sep - Nov
Worldwide distribution:
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,W,C,E,S
Growth form:	P
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 8, plates 21, 22 & 23

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Other sources of information about Boophone disticha:

Flora of Mozambique: Boophone disticha
African Plant Database: Boophone disticha
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Boophone disticha
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Boophone disticha
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Boophone disticha
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Boophone disticha
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Boophone disticha
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Boophone disticha
JSTOR Plant Science: Boophone disticha
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Boophone disticha
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Boophone disticha
Tropicos: Boophone disticha
West African Plants database: Boophone disticha