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Useful Temperate Plants

Bobartia indica

L.

Iridaceae

+ Synonyms

Aristea spathacea Spreng.

Bobartia juncea Salisb.

Bobartia linnaei Pritz.

Bobartia purcellii Gillett

Bobartia spathacea (L.f.) Ker Gawl.

Hecaste juncea Sol. ex Schumach.

Hecaste spathacea (L.f.) Kuntze

Marica spathacea (L.f.) Ker Gawl.

Moraea spathacea L.f.

Sisyrinchium spathaceum (L.f.) Pers.

Xyris altissima G.Lodd.

Common Name: Rush Iris

Bobartia indica
Flowering plants in native habitat
Photograph by: Andrew massyn
Creative Commons License
Bobartia indica Bobartia indica

General Information

Bobartia indica is an evergreen, perennial plant producing a rosette of 2 - 6 spreading leaves100 - 175cm long; it can grow 25 - 70cm tall from a short, erect, corm-like rhizome[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use in basket making. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

79
Title
The World of Iridaceae
Publication
 
Author
Innes. C.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Deals with many of the plants in the Iris family giving brief details of habitat and notes on cultivation. Well illustrated.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Range

S. Africa - Cape Province

Habitat

Sandy mountain slopes and flats below 500 metres in the south-western Cape[
79
Title
The World of Iridaceae
Publication
 
Author
Innes. C.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Deals with many of the plants in the Iris family giving brief details of habitat and notes on cultivation. Well illustrated.
,
260
Title
Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
Publication
 
Author
Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
Publisher
Pan Books, London.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-330-37376-5
Description
Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
].

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height0.60 m
Growth RateSlow
PollinatorsBees
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Bobartia indica grows in the Mediterraneal climate of southern S. Africa, experiencing hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. It can tolerate short-lived temperatures as low as about -5°c, and dislikes excessive wet in winter, but can be grown outdoors in the milder regions of the temperate zone[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Requires a very sunny position and a gritty soil[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
42
Title
Hardy Bulbs.
Publication
 
Author
Grey. C. H.
Publisher
Williams & Norgate.
Year
1938
ISBN
-
Description
Rather dated now, but an immense work on bulbs for temperate zones and how to grow them. Three large volumes.
,
79
Title
The World of Iridaceae
Publication
 
Author
Innes. C.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Deals with many of the plants in the Iris family giving brief details of habitat and notes on cultivation. Well illustrated.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plants prefer a moist winter followed by a dry summer[
260
Title
Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
Publication
 
Author
Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
Publisher
Pan Books, London.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-330-37376-5
Description
Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
]. Succeeds in poor acidic soils[
282
Title
The Color Encyclopedia of Cape Bulbs
Publication
 
Author
Manning. J. Goldblatt. P. & Snijman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press, Oregon.
Year
2002
ISBN
0-88192-547-0
Description
Excellent treatment of these plants, with good descriptions, habitat etc. Lots of high quality colour photographs.
].
Plants resprout profusely after a fire[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Individual flowers are about 5cm in diameter and only live for one day[
260
Title
Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
Publication
 
Author
Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
Publisher
Pan Books, London.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-330-37376-5
Description
Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
].
The rhizomes establish themselves very deeply in the soil[
42
Title
Hardy Bulbs.
Publication
 
Author
Grey. C. H.
Publisher
Williams & Norgate.
Year
1938
ISBN
-
Description
Rather dated now, but an immense work on bulbs for temperate zones and how to grow them. Three large volumes.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The tough, rush-like leaves are used in basket making[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61
Title
A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Publication
 
Author
Usher. G.
Publisher
Constable
Year
1974
ISBN
0094579202
Description
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest that the seed is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Sow stored seed in early spring in a greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow on the plants in the greenhouse for at least the first winter planting them out in late spring.
Division in autumn[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-10-08. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Bobartia+indica>

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