Name
Pride of de Kaap
Latin Name
Bauhinia galpinii
Description
Pride of de Kaap have characteristic two-lobed or winged leaves which have a width of 60 mm. The main flowering time is in March and April, but plants may already bloom from November. The colours of the flowers usually range from salmon to orange and yellow to white. The petals are oar-shaped and have a length of 40 mm.
Habitat
The Bauhinia galpinii can be found growing in bushveld areas.
Fruit
The hard, woodlike pod contains a few flat seeds.
Field Name
Despite its name indicating that is found in the Cape region of South Africa, this plant is actually from the warmer temperate regions of the country. It is named from the De Kaap Valley located in the Mpumalanga Province near Mbombela [Nelspruit].
The plant is widespread in the bushveld regions of South Africa and, because of its beauty and ease of cultivation, it is now found around the world. It is also known in Afrikaans as Vlam van die Vlakte which means ‘flame of the plains’.
