Wachendorfia
Encyclopedia
Wachendorfia, known as Red Root, is a genus
of 25 species of corm
ous perennials endemic to South Africa
, only a few of which are cultivated outside their own country.
tufts of long, narrow, pleated leaves and bear erect spikes of starry, yellow flowers in spring and summer.
Their common name stems from the red sap of the corm
s, used as a dye, and the bright red-orange colour of the roots themselves. Red colour is a feature of many plants in the family Haemodoraceae (Haemo = Blood).
hardy, Wachendorfias thrive outdoors in warm, near frost-free environments as an ornamental plant
. Most require moist, well drained soils in a sunny position. Some are ideal for bog
gardens.
Propagation is via seed
or division.
Image:Wachendorfia thyrsiflora 2.jpg|Wachendorfia thyrsiflora
Image:Wachendorfia brachyandra W.F.Barker ,Tienie Versfeld Wildflower Reserve PICT3341 .JPG|Wachendorfia brachyandra
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of 25 species of corm
Corm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
ous perennials endemic to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, only a few of which are cultivated outside their own country.
Description
Wachendorfias have basalAnatomical terms of location
Standard anatomical terms of location are designations employed in science that deal with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities that might otherwise arise. They are not language-specific, and thus require no translation...
tufts of long, narrow, pleated leaves and bear erect spikes of starry, yellow flowers in spring and summer.
Their common name stems from the red sap of the corm
Corm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
s, used as a dye, and the bright red-orange colour of the roots themselves. Red colour is a feature of many plants in the family Haemodoraceae (Haemo = Blood).
Cultivation
Slightly frostFrost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
hardy, Wachendorfias thrive outdoors in warm, near frost-free environments as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
. Most require moist, well drained soils in a sunny position. Some are ideal for bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
gardens.
Propagation is via seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
or division.
Gallery
Image:Wachendorfia thyrsiflora 2.jpg|Wachendorfia thyrsiflora
Image:Wachendorfia brachyandra W.F.Barker ,Tienie Versfeld Wildflower Reserve PICT3341 .JPG|Wachendorfia brachyandra