Brachystelma barberae

Brachystelma barberae 

Family: Asclepiadaceae

It is a perennial, geophytic dwarf herb. One to a few short annual stems are produced from a caudex that ranges from 80-200 mm in diameter. The tuber is depressed in the center and becomes irregular in shape with age. All the above-ground parts are covered with coarse hairs and produce a watery sap when damaged. There can be as many as fifty striking flowers arranged in one to three large, spherical masses close to the ground.

Sowing instructions: Use a sandy medium for germinating. Cover the seeds in a seed tray with 5-7 mm of sand and treat the medium with fungicide. Keep the germinating medium damp until the seedlings are about 5 cm high. Prick out seedlings carefully so as not to damage the roots. Plant in a well-drained soil mix.

Locality: Pretoria. Harvest: April 2024