Description :

• Perennial, deciduous bulbous herbs
• Bulb subglobose to globose, covered with thin tunics
• Leaves 2; contemporary with flowers; flat on ground or spreading; rounded-oblong; apex obtuse; veins conspicuously sunken; succulent, delicate; pale green
• Inflorescence a spike of up to 50 flowers (occasionally more); peduncle short but lengthening in fruit, tapered; bracts larger than flowers, upper bracts sterile, persistent, widely ovate-acuminate, spreading, green, bases decurrent
• Flowers green with white margins or whitish; campanulate
• Tepals fused at base forming a short wide tube; lobes spreading-arcuate, triangular to oblong, persistent
• Stamens 6, arising from perianth tube; filaments connate at base, forming a short, erect cup; anthers introrse, basifixed
• Ovary ovoid; ovules many in each locule; style short, curved, tapering; stigma apical
• Fruit an obtriangular capsule, strongly 3-winged; dehiscing loculicidally
• Seeds black, shiny

Classification Notes:

• Whiteheadia bifolia (Jacq.) Baker was the sole member of the genus until the discovery and subsequent publication of W. etesionamibensis D.Müll.-Doblies & U.Müll.-Doblies in 1997

Nomenclature:

• Whiteheadia Harv.
  • Harvey: 396 (1868)
  • Baker: 418 (1897)
  • Obermeyer: t. 1450 (1965)
  • Sölch et al.: 74 (1970)
  • Jessop: 433 (1976)
  • Müller-Doblies & Müller-Doblies: 79 (1997)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 2, Namibia, Northern and Western Cape
  • Occurs in stony, rocky places