NERINE LATICOMA

This member of the Amaryllidaceae family was given this name by Théophile Alexis Durand and Hans Schinz in 1894. It is found from the southern Botswana through Namibia to southern South Africa and Zimbabwe, growing in a well drained soil with quite some water in summer and lots of sun. The bulb can grow to fifteen centimetres, the whole plant to 30 centimetres. The flowers are from almost white to dark pink with a darker centre-nerve. They might not response well to have their bulb exposed. To get them to flower, the temperature have to be high, might take 38-42C.

The genera name from nereids referring to the sea-nymphs in Greek mythology. The species name from Latin latus; 'broad' and -coma; 'hair' or 'mane' for the leaves. In some areas, they are almost total ground covering. This is N. i. huttoniae by Barbara Jeppe.