Botanical name

Harveya purpurea

Family

Orobanchaceae

Common Name

Persinkblom, Yellow-throated Inkflower.
Harveya purpurea
Harveya purpurea
Harveya purpurea
Harveya purpurea

Description

Root parasitic plant, silky-hairy, up to 20cm. Rough, small, scale-like, pale yellow leaves lacking chlorophyll; flowers are hairy in loose short racemes, on short stalks, broadly funnel-shaped, wavy-edged, purple or deep-pink with a yellow throat, about 30mm long, fragrant; stigma knob-like.

Host plants are various fynbos shrubs especially in the Campanulaceae family, such as Roella and Wahlenbergia.

Turns black when handled or dried.

Habitat

Flats and lower slopes in stony and sandy soils.

Flower Date

September to December