Messages from Olympus: Sea of Iridaceae
On the slopes of fire-scarred Overberg Sandstone Fynbos, a spectacle emerges.
Vast fields glowing with Yellow Irises, and Narrowtube Watsonias, interspersed with Blue Tulps are putting on a grand display.
The name of the plant family, Iridaceae, is derived from the Greek goddess Iris, who carried messages from Olympus to Earth along a rainbow. The rainbow’s many colours are thought to have inspired Carl Linnaeus who coined the name for the family in 1753.
Fire provides an opportunity for these plants, which once had scant space to flower in old fynbos veld, an open stage to put on a display.
One can truly see how apt Linnaeus’ choice of name was for this remarkable plant family.
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