Witsenia

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Witsenia in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
Witsenia (named after Nicholas Witsen, Dutch patron of botany in first half of 18th century). Iridaceae. An ornamental greenhouse shrub with erect ensiform lvs. which are equitant; subsessile fls. with a cylindrical tubed perianth, which has erect connivent lobes and a 3-celled ovary which becomes a shiny leathery caps. Only one species from S. Afr., W. Maura, Thunb., which is not in cult. B.R. 5. P.M. 8: 221. The plant known in horticulture as W. corymbosa, Ker, is more correctly named Nivenia corymbosa, Baker. St. tall, woody at base, branched, compressed, acutely angled: lvs. erect, rather rigid, ensiform and equitant, upper ones smaller: fls. 1 (or 2?) to a spathe, subsessile; perianth purplish blue, tube elongated, cylindrical, lobes erect, connivent, outer ones rather thick, tomentose outside, inner ones shorter; spathes usually 2 to an axil. S. Afr. G. 32:739. Gn. 72, p. 375. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

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