Tritonia flabellifolia

"Conservatism is the blind and fear-filled worship of dead radicals."

Mark Twain

Blind and Fear filled really seems to be the only way to describe them, Although I would have added the "worship of  dead radicals (and living idiots)" to make it more complete. 

I have had a few Tritonia's blooming in the greenhouse for a few weeks now, along with the other South African's like Albuca, Moraea, and Gladiolus. No Ferraria's this year which is a bummer as they are on of my favorites. 

Tritonia flabefollia is on right now, with it's long tubular flower, and wonderful veining on the petals in shades of dark plum on the light pink background it really does put on a show. To me the the flowers have an almost mauve appearance. It was late last night when I got around to taking pics so they are perhaps a bit underexposed. 

A dainty little thing really but quite charming in it's own right.

From the South Cape of Africa, in an area known to be of winter rainfall. This species seems to take to copious amounts of water. Since the kiddo is homeschooled now because of the Covid shut down, I usually have her water in the greenhouse and while she is much more knowledgeable then the average person. She still tends to pour it on thick even if they don't need it.

My specimen has had a bit of a time standing upright, I'm guessing it's one of those species that grows up through grass and gets help from its nieghbords. The warm weather is on it's way! Forecast says it should be in the 80's by the weekend. Seems too hot for the start of May. Mark