Ixia monadelpha

{{Short description|South African geophyte}} {{Speciesbox | image = Ixia monadelpha (2).jpg | image_caption = | genus = Ixia | species = monadelpha | authority = Delaroche | synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true |''Eurydice columnaris'' (Salisb.) Nois. |''Eurydice columnaris var. angustifolia '' (Andrews) Nois. |''Eurydice columnaris var. latifolia'' (Andrews) Nois. |''Eurydice columnaris var. versicolor'' (Andrews) Nois. |''Eurydice grandiflora'' (Andrews) Nois. |''Galaxia ixiiflora'' DC. |''Galaxia ixiiflora'' Redouté |''Galaxia ramosa'' DC. |''Galaxia ramosa'' Redouté |''Ixia angustifolia'' (Andrews) Klatt |''Ixia cartilaginea'' Lam. |''Ixia columellaris'' Ker Gawl. |''Ixia columellaris'' KerGawl. |''Ixia columellaris var. rhodolarynx'' Baker |''Ixia columnaris '' Salisb. |''Ixia columnaris var. angustifolia'' Andrews |''Ixia columnaris var. grandiflora'' Andrews |''Ixia columnaris var. latifolia'' Andrews |''Ixia columnaris var. purpurea'' Andrews |''Ixia columnaris var. versicolor'' Andrews |''Ixia galaxioides'' Klatt |''Ixia grandiflora (Andrews)'' Pers. |''Ixia monadelphia '' Burm.f. |''Ixia purpurea '' (Andrews) Klatt |''Ixia variegata'' Banks |''Ixia variegata'' Banks ex Schult. |''Morphixia angustifolia'' (Andrews) Klatt |''Morphixia columellaris '' (Ker Gawl.) Klatt |''Morphixia grandiflora'' (Andrews) Klatt |''Morphixia latifolia'' (Andrews) Klatt |''Morphixia monadelpha'' (D.Delaroche) Klatt |''Morphixia purpurea'' (Andrews) Klatt |''Morphixia versicolor'' (Andrews) Klatt}} | synonyms_ref = <ref>{{GBIF |id= 5296953|taxon= Ixia monadelpha|access-date=27 September 2023}}</ref> }}

'''''Ixia monadelpha''''', also known as the '''pied kalossie''' or '''bontkalossie''', is an endangered species of geophyte found in wet sandy flats in the southwestern Cape of South Africa.

== Description ==

=== Growth form === This cormous geophyte grows {{Convert|15-40|cm|in|abbr=on}} tall.<ref name="SANBI29">{{Cite book |last1=Manning |first1=John |url=https://www.sanbi.org/sites/default/files/documents/documents/strelitzia-29-2012.pdf |title=Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region : 1: the core Cape flora |last2=Goldblatt |first2=Peter |date=2012 |publisher=South African National Biodiversity Institute, SANBI |isbn=978-1-919976-74-7 |location=Pretoria |oclc=852384288}}</ref> It has a simple stem with one or two short, spreading branches. They emerge at right angles to the stem and curve upwards.<ref name="eFlora">e-Flora of South Africa. v1.42. 2023. South African National Biodiversity Institute. http://ipt.sanbi.org.za/iptsanbi/resource?r=flora_descriptions&v=1.42 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927093546/https://ipt.sanbi.org.za/iptsanbi/resource?r=flora_descriptions&v=1.42 |date=2023-09-27 }}</ref>

=== Corm === The corm is more or less spherical and has a diameter of {{Convert|12-20|mm|in|abbr=on}}. They are covered in soft, papery layers.<ref name="eFlora" />

=== Leaves === The leaves are sword-shaped and are often loosely twisted. There are between four and seven leaves per plant, each of which is about half as long as the stem and {{Convert|3-12|mm|in|abbr=on}} wide. The margins are slightly thickened and become transparent when dry.<ref name="eFlora" />

=== Flowers === Unscented flowers are present in September and October.<ref name="SANBI29" /><ref name="eFlora" /> Each plant produces between four and twelve salver-shaped flowers that grow close to each other in a flexuose spike inflorescence.<ref name="eFlora" /> Flowers are typically grey-blue to turquoise to purple or pink in colour.<ref name="SANBI29" /><ref name="eFlora" /> Although rare, some plants produce white or grey-yellow flowers. The center is darker, ranging from dark green to brown, red, purple and almost black in colour. The darker center has a light brown or green edge.<ref name="eFlora" />

The flowers have dark stamens with blue or grey pollen. The filaments are joined for at least half o their length and the purple anthers are erect. The style divides between the base and the middle of the anthers, forming branches that are {{Convert|2-3|mm|in|abbr=on}} long.<ref name="eFlora" />

The pale, dry floral bracts are speckled with brown or red and have distinctive thickened and twisted dark brown cusps.<ref name="SANBI29" /><ref name="eFlora" /> The outer bract with the central cusp in the most prominent.<ref name="eFlora" />

== Taxonomy == ''Ixia monadelpha'' is the first species that was put into the ''eurydice'' subgenus. Initially proposed as being its own genus, species in this subgenus have fused stamen filaments. This feature is not seen in the rest of the genus. The species epithet ''monadelpha'' means ''one-brothered'' and refers to the joined filaments.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lewis |first=G.J. |date=1931 |title=Ixia |url=https://journals.co.za/doi/10.10520/AJA00423203_1410 |journal=Veld & Flora |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=13–16}}</ref>

== Distribution and habitat == This species is endemic to a narrow region along the Atlantic Coast in the Western Cape of South Africa.<ref name="eFlora" /> It is currently found growing between Darling in the West Coast region and Hout Bay on the Cape Peninsula, although it was historically found as far as Hopefield and Tulbagh.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Goldblatt |first1=P. |last2=von Staden |first2=L. |date=2015 |title=Ixia monadelpha D.Delaroche. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1 |url=http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=1547-40 |access-date=27 September 2023 |website=SANBI Red List of South African Plants}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Goldblatt |first1=P. |last2=Manning |first2=J. C. |date=2016-05-01 |title=Systematics of the southern African genus Ixia L. (Iridaceae): 5. Synopsis of section Ixia, including five new species |journal=South African Journal of Botany |volume=104 |pages=175–198 |doi=10.1016/j.sajb.2015.11.011 |issn=0254-6299|doi-access=free }}</ref> It is now restricted to between four and six fragmented subpopulations, most of which are around Darling. The largest population in found on Rondebosch Common in Cape Town.<ref name=":1" /> Plants are found growing on seasonally wet sandy flats and lower slopes.<ref name="SANBI29" />

== Ecology == ''I. monadelpha'' is insect pollinated. The dark center of the flower is typical of species that are pollinated by monkey beetles.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Picker |first1=M.J. |last2=Midgley |first2=J.J. |date=1996 |title=Pollination by monkey beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Hopliini): flower and colour preferences |url=https://journals.co.za/doi/epdf/10.10520/AJA10213589_177 |journal=African Entomology |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=7–14}}</ref> It is known to be visited by ''Peritrichia cinerea''. and ''Lepithrix fulvipes'', two monkey beetle species.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Goldblatt |first1=Peter |last2=Bernhardt |first2=Peter |last3=Manning |first3=John C. |date=2000 |title=Adaptive Radiation of Pollination Mechanisms in Ixia (Iridaceae: Crocoideae) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2666146 |journal=Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden |volume=87 |issue=4 |pages=564–577 |doi=10.2307/2666146 |jstor=2666146 |issn=0026-6493|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

This species is often found growing alongside ''Ixia curta'', an orange ''Ixia'' species that also has fused filaments but differs in other morphological features.<ref name="eFlora" /><ref name=":1" />

== Conservation == This species is considered to be endangered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Only a few scattered subpopulations remain in isolated remnants. These populations are declining due to alien vegetation and habitat degradation.<ref name=":0" />

==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Ixia monodelpha pink (2).jpg |A pink form Image:Ixia monadelpha (1).jpg|''Ixia monadelpha'' in habitat </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commons-inline|italic=1}} *{{Wikispecies-inline|Ixia monadelpha|''Ixia monadelpha''}}

monadelpha Category:Endemic flora of the Cape Provinces Category:Plants described in 1762