Phil Bendle Collection:Watsonia borbonica (Rosy watsonia)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Subfamily: Ixioideae
Tribe: Watsonieae
Genus: Watsonia
Species: W. borbonica
Binomial name: Watsonia borbonica
Synonyms: Gladiolus pyramidatus, Lomenia borbonica, Watsonia ardernei, Watsonia borbonica subsp. ardernei, Watsonia borbonica subsp. borbonica, Watsonia pyramidata, Watsonia wordsworthiana
Common names: Rosy watsonia, Cape bugle-lily, Bugle lily, Buglelily, Cape bugle lily, Pink watsonia, Tall watsonia, Watsonia, Wild watsonia

Watsonia borbonica is a species of plant in the family Iridaceae and is native to the winter-rainfall areas of the Western Cape of South Africa. It is regarded as an environmental weed in Australia, on the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Reunion and in New Zealand.
Watsonia borbonica can form dense infestations due to the production of very large numbers of stem cormils that are in clusters of 12 to 16 in the leaf axils of the flowering stems. This has enabled it to become a very successful weed, forming dense stands which exclude other vegetation. Dispersal occurs when the cormils fall to the ground when the top growth dies at the end of the season. They are spread by water movement, vehicles, birds, animals and by the dumping of garden refuse.

Watsonia borbonica is an erect perennial herb forming large clumps; with strap-like leaves (20 to 80 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide), slender reddish flowering stems 0.5 to 2 m high. 
The pink, orange or red curved trumpet-shaped flowers have 6 'petals' (perianth segments) forming a tube in the lower section. The flowers are 5 to 8 cm long, 3 to 4 cm in diameter and are arranged singly, 2.5 to 4 cm apart, in opposite rows along the upper part of the stem and on side branches. There are three stamens arranged asymmetrically on one side of the flower. Leaves and flowering heads are produced annually.

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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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