29 February 2012
Posted by Callan Bentley
Weird plant from South Africa, in the north-central portion of Table Mountain National Park: it’s just two leaves!
How bizarre is that? Two enormous leaves emerging from the leaf litter, nothing more.
In Namibia, Welwitschia also have just two leaves, but they are much longer (and more prone to getting tattered). I’d love to learn what this thing is – botanical experts, please chime in if you know.
Callan Bentley teaches geology at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. For his work on this blog, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers recognized him with the James Shea Award. He has also won the Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia, and the Biggs Award for Excellence in Geoscience Teaching from the Geoscience Education Division of the Geological Society of America. In previous years, Callan served as a contributing editor at EARTH magazine, President of the Geological Society of Washington and President the Geo2YC division of NAGT.
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It could maybe be a large variety from the lithop family (stone plant). Does it bloom from the center? If it sheds its leaves to the side with new leaves in the center (usually in spring), it may be a lithop.
All I know is: I saw it, thought “wow,” and took this photo. Thanks for sharing a potential ID…
Yes, it is a lily (in the family Amaryllidaceae, I think). Offhand I dont recall the genus and species but it would not ne hard to find. The leathery, highly reduced leaves are an adptation to drought in the winter-rainfall area.
Awesome. Thanks, Bob!
looks very orchidlike to me