Ledebouria marginata purple leaves

The leaves of Ledebouria marginata, sometimes called the common squill, may be purplish as seen here. This plant does not have leaf spots. The leaves of L. marginata clasp the base firmly. They are deciduous, growing anew every spring from the perennial bulb.

The habitat is summer rainfall grassland north and south of the Vaal River. This plant was seen at the foot of the southern slope of the Magaliesberg near Hekpoort.

The species used to be called Scilla marginata (Van Wyk and Malan, 1997; Lowrey and Wright, 1987).