Brunsvigia josephinae

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Here, a few weeks later, we see the huge inflorescence fully expanded. It can easily be over 4 feet tall. The flowers do not open all at once but sequentially. If you imagine the spectacle of a bunch of these eldritch inflorescences arising unaccompanied by foliage from seemingly dead bulbs in the middle of the summer-scorched African veld, you can see why the minority opinion in certain botanical circles is that this whole family of plants is in fact of extraterrestrial origin. They might have been planted by the ancient astronauts that made the giant figures in the South American desert to remind them of home. Come to think of it, this may help explain the curious fact that the South American Amaryllids of the genus Hippeastrum are so amazingly similar to the South African Amaryllis belladona: The same extraterrestials probably colonized both continents long ago.

But I digress. Let's get back on track...

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