WACHENDORFIA THYRSIFLORA

This member of the Haemodoraceae family was given this name by Carl Linnaeus in 1759. It is found in marshes and along streams in South Africa, growing in a rich soil with lots water and lots of sun. The rhizomes can grow to six centimetres in diameter, the leaves up to one meter and the inflorescence with the golden yellow flowers up to two and a half meter. The genera is named after E. J. von Wachendorff, a Dutch Professor of Botany. The species name as the flowers arranged in a thyrse - a flower cluster with a central spike that has side branches also clustered with flowers.