Pride-of-De-Kaap
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Vlam-van-die-Vlakte  Pride-of-De-KaapBauhinia galpinii Ithala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal |
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Pride-of-de-Kaap, Bauhinia galpinii is named after the brother botanists Jan and Caspar Bauhin (16-17th century) and Ernest Galpin , a bank manager who collected plants in Barberton (20th century).
It is a scrambling shrub or small tree that is found growing in thickets in hot, rocky places and on stream banks in the North-East of South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The deciduous leaves are divided into two lobes, often joined. The bright red, fragrant flowers are borne in clusters near the ends of the branches (Nov.-Mar.). Several butterfly species depend on the flowers of B. galpinii.
Other names - UK African plume, red orchid tree, red orchid bush, South African orchid bush - F Arbre aux orchidées, plume africaine - D Orchideenbaum, Roter Orchideenbaum.
References
Books
Vincent Carruthers (ed.) - The Wildlife of Southern Africa. Struik Publ. ISBN 1-86872-451-4
Weblinks
What's in a name? - By Dr Hugh Glen
Dept. of Botany, Univ. of Pretoria