terry_rheeder's Journal

Not endemic to South Africa.
Very hardy.
Has a wide spread root stock.
Has feathery leaves.
Flowers in the form of catkins (elongated cluster of single-sex flowers bearing scaly bracts and usually lacking petals.) form at ground level as well as the reddish seedpods.
Plant size 50cm.
Roots used for tanning.

Silverleaf Stargrass (Hypoxis rigidula)
has got a long false stem and a shallow root system and is also densely hairy. Stems are cylindrical or angular. May root at node in wet conditions. Has bright
yellow flowers.

African Stargrass (Hypoxis hemercalliea)
Has got a tuber, strap like leaves, prominent ribs tapering the tip of the leaf. leaves are stiff and densely hairy, Has 3 ranks of leaves. Leaves appear before flowers.
Leaves upto 400mm long.

Shiny Stargrass (Hypoxis obtusa) Near threatened
Very similar to H. hemerocallidea but with following differences, margins white due to overlapping hairs, leaves twist with age, stiff leaves.
Occasionally hybridizes in the wild with H. rigudula.
Erect to straggling.