I think this is the first plant on BPotD named after a banker; Ernest Galpin (also see Wikipedia) was a South African born banker who had a life-long interest in plants due to his mother's influence. Dierama galpinii is actually one of several species named in honour of this meticulous collector of South African flora. In fact, two genera are named in relation to him: Galpinia and Mosdenia (named after his farm!).
Dierama galpinii is one of the later-flowering African harebells or fairywands (Dierama pulcherrimum is long-finished). The appearance of the flowers seems to coincide with the African section of the alpine garden starting to decline from the peak colour display of only a week ago.
What a graceful arching plant. It's colour is just lovely. What would pollinate this maybe some sort of a hummingbird? Thank you for this great picture.
Margaret-Rae
Hi Margaret-Rae,
Hummingbirds wouldn't be pollinators in its native environment – they are birds of the Americas. Hilliard and Burtt's “Dieramas: The Hairbells of Africa” suggests bees as the main pollinators.