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Ledebouria cooperi (Hook.f.) Jessop

Family: HYACINTHACEAE

Publication: J. S. African Bot. 36: 247 (1970).

From llifle page Scilla saturata

Description

Scilla saturata, is one of the morphological or geografical forms of Ledebouria cooperi which is a widespread and morphologically variable taxon. Ledebouria is only a very recently formed genus. Previously, most of the plants belonging to this genus were classified as Scilla species. Scilla saturata consists of a very small bulb with a long slender leaf. The leaves that are visible above the ground look much like coarse grass while the bulbs, at their biggest, are only about 1-2 cm in diameter. The flowers colour is given as varying between deep mauve and light purple-rose or entirely green and they protrude from a short stem [4] [5] [9].

Bulb: Ovoid to subglobose, with dark, papery scales, or not well developed, 12-18 mm in diameter. It is of interest that a method of vegetative reproduction is provided by the shoots which arise from the axils of the lower bulb-scales [4].

Leaves: 1-5, linear, lanceolate, more or less acuminate, oblong or ovate, (3-)10-20(-25) cm long, (1-)6-8(-20)mm broad at the middle, narrowed gradually to a clasping petiole 2.5-5 cm long, upper surface rather uniformly green, lower surface green with longitudinal purple striations, and with purple spots toward the base.

Inflorescence: Peduncle slender, 7-15 cm long, more or less erect; raceme dense, oblong, 2.5-4(-5) cm long, 18-25 mm in diameter, with up to about 50 flowers. Central pedicels 4-8 mm long, lower flowers cernuous (dropping).

Flowers: Perianth campanulate, segments bright pink to mauve-purple inside and out, less frequently pink with a green keel, or entirely green,3-4 mm long; stamens nearly as long as the perianth. Filaments linear, bright purple, anthers yellow.ovary globose, stipitate [1] [5].

Origin and Habitat

South Africa. Orange Free State.

Habitat and ecology: Scilla saturata forms “large colonies in marshes and marshy grassland, up to c. 1980 m.” [3] “Plants tend to grow in clusters in shady, damp grasslands” [4].

Cultivation and Propagation

Scilla saturata “apparently favours damp places” and “do respond to regular watering although they are resistant to quite prolonged periods of drought” [2] [10].

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

  1. J. G. Baker “Flora Capensis”, 1897

  2. The Bulletin of the African Succulent Plant Society, Volumi 7-8 African Succulent Plant Society., 1972

  3. Annals of Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens, Volume 15 National Botanic Gardens, 1987

  4. Gardeners Chronicle & New Horticulturist Haymarket Publishing, 1937

  5. Baileya, Volumi 18-20 L. H. Bailey Hortorium, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, 1971

  6. Pooley, E. 2003. “Mountain flowers: a field guide to the flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho.” Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban.

  7. Raimondo, D., von Staden, L., Foden, W., Victor, J.E., Helme, N.A., Turner, R.C., Kamundi, D.A. and Manyama, P.A. 2009. “Red List of South African Plants”. Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.

  8. Hankey, A.J. & Victor, J.E. 2005. Ledebouria cooperi (Hook.f.) Jessop. “National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants” version 2017.1. Accessed on 2017/04/02

  9. “Extractives from the Hyacinthaceae” Chantal Koorbanally BSc. (HONS) (Natal) Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in theDepartment of Chemistry,University of Natal, Durban 2000

Source: Scilla saturata, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-26.

From llifle page Scilla sphaerocephala

Description

Drimiopsis atropurpurea (syn. Drimiopsis purpurea, syn. Ledebouria atropurpurea) is a lovely bulb plant that differs from all the other species of the dark purple flowers.

Derivation of specific name: ‘atropurpureus,-a,-um’; from Latin ‘ater’ (atri), black, clothed in dark; ‘purpureus’, purple: dark-purple.

Leaf: Often single. Petiole 7-12 cm long,. Blade 9-15 cm long, 5-7 cm broad, elongated-ovate, base slightly cordate, apex acute, glabrous above, hairy-pubescent beneath.

Inflorescences and flowers. Scape 18-30 cm long, somewhat slender, 1-2 mm in diameter, hairy-pubescent. Racemes 2.5-7 cm long, densely flowered, lowermost flowers minute abortive and dropping off very early, uppermos flowers ascending and perfect. No bracts. Pedicels 1 mm long. Perianth 3-5 mm long, campanulate, glabrous, dark purple. Segments, oblong, exterior 3, with an sharp curved apex, inner 3, obtuse, shortly split and shape like a hood. Stamens included. Anthers pale yellow. Ovary pale. Style 1 mm long.

Origin and Habitat

Drimiopsis atropurpurea is native to South Africa (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga).

Habitat and ecology: This species grows in relatively tall rocky grassland on shallow clays and on midslopes and crests of undulating norite hills.

Cultivation and Propagation

Drimiopsis atropurpurea is a lovely undemanding species. This attractive bulb has purple-spotted foliage that emerges in the spring and is an excellent ground cover for areas under trees where the shade is too deep for much to grow. It will tolerate heat and drought and is an attractive plant in pockets within a rock garden and also is an easy to grow houseplant; always a favorite carefree windowsill citizen, an excellent addition to any dish garden. Bulbs at the base of the plant must be above the soil. The plant’s origin will make its bulbs tolerate heat and drought.

Exposition: Likes light shade to part sun (it will take a few hours of sun without a problem), but adapts very well to heavy shade. Likes a bit of shade for best colour in leaves.

Watering: During the summer growing period the plant appears to need much more water than the average succulent. It does fine with year-round water. Let it dry completely between waterings.

Soil: It adapts to a wide array of garden soils comprising cactus and succulent soil and regular (peat, perlite, pine bark) potting mix. But an organic rich media (2:1 to 1:1 organic:inorganic) seems to work very well. Rich humus organic soil will make this plant multiply like rabbits. This plant needs well-drained soil; it does not like wet feet.

Fertilization: Feed monthly with 50% strength soluble house plant food when it is actively growing.

Hardiness: The species is winter deciduous and can take light frost but not a hard freeze, so best kept in a frost free place indoors and can be grown outside where there is no danger of frost.

Pests and diseases: Slugs and snails don’t seem to want to attack this plant as much as they do your traditional hosta plant.

Propagation: It’s very easy to grow and to propagate. Just separate the bulbs. Seeds or (usually) by division of bulb-clusters. Will multiply in the garden to form clumps that should be divided every few years.

Bibliography

Major references and further lectures

  1. N.E.Brown “New Plants from Tropical and South Africa Collected by Archdeacon F. A. Rogers” Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew)

Vol. 1921, No. 8 (1921), pp. 289-301

  1. Drimiopsis atropurpurea N.E. Br. web: http://www.plantillustrations.org/species.php?id\_species=360024

  2. S.J. Siebert, A.E. Van Wyk, G.J. Bredenkamp, F. Du Plessis “The grasslands and wetlands of the Sekhukhuneland Centre of Plant Endemism, South Africa” Bothalia, Volume 32 Botanical Research Institute, Department of Agricultural Technical Services., 2002

  3. Klopper, R. & Victor, J.E. 2005. “Ledebouria atropurpurea (N.E.Br.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt.” National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2015.1. Accessed on 2017/01/26

Source: Scilla sphaerocephala, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-26.