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Bobartia indica

Common name:		Family:	Iridaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	79, 200
Synonyms:	Bobartia spathacea (Ker-Gawl.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. Africa
Habitat:	Sandy mountain slopes and flats below 500 metres in the south-western Cape[79, 260].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	indica = Indian
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Liliales. Iris family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.15m . It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower from March to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Basketry.

The tough, rush-like leaves are used in basket making[46, 61].

Cultivation details

Requires a very sunny position and a gritty soil[1, 42, 79]. Plants prefer a moist winter followed by a dry summer[260].
Plants require protection from severe frosts (below about -5° c) and excessive rain, but they are otherwise hardy in Britain[1, 200].
Individual flowers are about 5cm in diameter and only live for one day[260].
The rhizomes establish themselves very deeply in the soil[42].

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].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Iridaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[42] Grey. C. H. Hardy Bulbs. Williams & Norgate. 1938
Rather dated now, but an immense work on bulbs for temperate zones and how to grow them. Three large volumes.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
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] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
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.

[79] Innes. C. The World of Iridaceae
Deals with many of the plants in the Iris family giving brief details of habitat and notes on cultivation. Well illustrated.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[260] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998 ISBN 0-330-37376-5
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.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Bobartia+indica
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Bobartia+indica

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.