 The bulbous geophytes
include some 1 400 species. Fynbos
has some of the richest geophyte flora in the world. Among the larger
genera
are the irid Gladiolus, the
lily Lachenalia and the
orchid Disa. The
geophytes appear only in the wetter months – they are less visible in
the dry summer months when the leaves die back.
The
genus Gladiolus contains about 260
species, of which 250 are native to sub-Saharan Africa, mostly South
Africa. There are 160 species of Gladiolus endemic in southern
Africa.
The
orchid genus Disa consists of
169 terrestrial orchid species. They grow
in gorges, near waterfalls and brooks. The members of this genus are
primarily from South Africa, where it is most noted for the species Disa
uniflora, a spectacular red orchid also known as "The Pride of
Table Mountain."
Lachenalia
is a genus of bulbs in the hyacynth (Hyacinthaceae) family.
Pictured,
Gladiolus rogersii,
the endemic local Riversdale bluebell.
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