Heliophila rifidiuscula
Common name- Grassland Blue Cross Fower; Afrikaans- Bloubekkie; Zulu – uvemvane oluncane

Heliophila obviously means “to love the sun”. These pretty bluish-mauve flowers are found all over our sunny Midlands grasslands at the moment. The inflorescence droops at the end of a slender leafless stem, with the long thin leaves hidden in the grass.

It blooms for the whole of summer here, whereas most of the other 70 species of Heliophila in SA are found growing throughout the south western Cape where they flower with the Spring rains.  In KZN, a white flowered version is also found – Heliophila elongata.  The flowers attract butterflies, including Cabbage Whites, as this plant is a member of the cabbage or Brassica family.  Leaves can be eaten as spinach although it would take some dedicated collecting because, although numerous, they are so small!    

Click on any of the links below to see another Dargle wildflower