There’s another stinker at Kirstenbosch. Visitors to the - TopicsExpress



          

There’s another stinker at Kirstenbosch. Visitors to the Welwitschia House in the Conservatory may think there’s a blocked sewer or a pile of manure inside, but it’s just the flowers of the Kunene Ghaap (Hoodia parviflora). This spiny plant has quite pretty furry yellow flowers, but you don’t want to get to close to them because they smell awful, like faeces. They smell bad to attract flies that lay their eggs in dung, and while investigating the flower the flies pollinate the flowers. As an antidote to these foul-smelling flowers, visitors can sniff out a more pleasantly scented flower in the Dell – the Bell Gardenia (Rothmannia globosa) is in bloom. There’s also one in the Arboretum. This small tree has bunches of sweet-smelling bell-shaped white flowers with pink markings. It’s also known as the September Bells and Small-flowered Rothmannia. Photos: Alice Notten
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 06:09:27 +0000

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