FLORAL EMIGRANTS

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Cachet: The cachet is a botanical illustration of Ornithogalum thyrsoides, or chincherinchee, standing alone on the left of the cover. The flower spike carries a dense cluster of white star shaped blooms at the top, with a spear like green bud still closed above them. Each flower shows a small yellow-green centre and thin white petals that overlap slightly around it. The stem is thick and pale green, framed by two long strap shaped leaves at its base. Below the illustration the Latin name Ornithogalum thyrsoides is printed in italics, and the cover carries the title "Blomemigrante - Floral Emigrants" beneath that. The illustration style is precise and true to life rather than stylised, in keeping with the botanical subject.

Info card

FLOWER EMIGRANTS OF SOUTH AFRICA Many flowers indigenous to South Africa are popular ornamental horticultural products in many countries throughout the world. Hundreds of millions of these flowers and plants are cultivated and marketed in these countries annually. The flowering bulbs are an excellent example of this group of flower emigrants. 12c stamp Freesia Family Iridaceae All species of the Freesia genus are endemic to the Western and Eastern Cape Province. The present-day hybrids were developed from crosses between F. refracta and F. armstrongii. At present, freesias are one of the three most important flowering bulb crops in the world and more than a hundred cultivars of all colours are being cultivated. As cut flowers they are even more popular than tulips. The flowers appear in winter and spring and have a very pleasant fragrance. 25c stamp Nerine Family Amaryllidaceae The Nerine, with its approximately 30 species, is commercially the most popular member of the South African Amaryllidaceae family and is cultivated world-wide. Most of the hybrids and cultivars available in the trade were developed from forms of N. sarniensis and N. bowdenii. Nerines are very popular in Japan and Holland, and millions of flowers are marketed every year. Various species flower during various periods throughout the year. The plants also differ a great deal with regard to flower colour, flower shape and growth habits. The botanist Linnaeus named this plant sarniensis because he thought that it was a native of the Channel Island Guernsey, the old name of which was Sarnia. In actual fact, however, it had reached the island as part of the cargo of a ship from the Far East that was shipwrecked there. Today nerines are still known as Guernsey lilies. 30c stamp Ixia Family Iridaceae Approximately 44 species of Ixia are found in the Western Cape. The colourful hybrids available in the world trade were developed from only a few species, namely I. monodelpha and I. maculata. Colours vary from bright white to cream, yellow, orange, pink, red and purple, while the famous I. viridiflora bears striking green flowers with indigo-blue hearts. The plants flower during spring and early summer, and are cultivated generally as cut flowers. 50c stamp Gladiolus Family Iridaceae Gladiolus species occur widespread in South Africa, but most of them are indigenous to the South-Western Cape Province. Out of a total of approximately 180 species, 103 are found in South Africa; the others occur in countries around the Mediterranean. Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) in his writings to the shape of the leaves referred to the name Gladiolus, meaning "small sword". The hundreds of gladioli cultivars available today were mainly developed from a small number of South African species like G. natalensis. Gladioli are one of the three most important flowering bulb crops and one of the five most important cut-flower crops in the world today. Text, with thanks: Dr D. J. Ferreira, Horticultural Research Institute, Pretoria. BLOEMMIGRANTE VAN SUID-AFRIKA Inheemse Suid-Afrikaanse blomme is gewilde siertuinbouprodukte in baie lande oor die hele wêreld. Honderde miljoene van hierdie blomme en plante word jaarliks in dié lande gekweek en verhandel. Die blombolplante is 'n voortreflike voorbeeld van hierdie groep bloemmigrante. 12c-seël Freesia Familie Iridaceae Al die spesies van die Freesia-geslag is inheems in die Westelike en Oostelike Kaapprovinsie. Die hedendaagse hibride is uit kruisings tussen F. refracta en F. armstrongii ontwikkel. At present freesias is tans een van die drie belangrikste bolblomgewasse in die wêreld en meer as 'n honderd kultivars van allerhande kleure word gekweek. As snyblomme is hulle selfs gewilder as tulpe. Freesias staan in die volksmond bekend as kammetjies. 25c-seël Nerine Familie Amaryllidaceae Die Nerine met sy ongeveer 30 spesies is die gewildste lid van die Suid-Afrikaanse Amaryllidaceae-familie en word wêreldwyd verbou. Die meeste van die hibride en kultivars word ontwikkel, veral uit N. sarniensis en N. bowdenii. Nerines is veral gewild in Japan en Holland, en miljoene blomme word jaarliks bemark. Verskillende spesies blom op verskillende tye van die jaar. Die plantkundige Linnaeus het hierdie plant sarniensis genoem omdat hy gedink het dat dit inheems is aan die Kanaaleiland Guernsey, die ou naam waarvan Sarnia was. Die plant het egter op Guernsey beland as deel van die vrag van 'n skip wat tydens 'n reis van die Verre Ooste of die eiland gestrand het. Die Engelse volksnaam vir dié plant is dan ook Guernsey lily. 30c-seël Ixia Familie Iridaceae Ongeveer 44 Ixia-spesies word in die Westelike Kaapprovinsie aangetref. Die veelkleurige hibride wat wêreldwyd in die handel beskikbaar is, is egter slegs uit 'n paar spesies ontwikkel, veral uit I. monodelpha en I. maculata. Die kleur wissel van helderwit tot roomkleur, geel, oranje, rooi en pers, en die bekende I. viridiflora het opvallende groen blomme met indigoblou harties. Die plant blom in die lente en vroegsomer en word beduidende gebruik as snyblomme. 50c-seël Gladiolus Familie Iridaceae Gladiolus-spesies kom wydverspreid in Suid-Afrika voor, maar die meeste is inheems in die Suidwes-Kaap. Uit 'n totaal van ongeveer 180 spesies word ongeveer 103 in Suid-Afrika aangetref; die ander kom voor in lande rondom die Middellandse See. Plinius die Ouere (23-79 nC) in sy geskrifte reeds die naam Gladiolus, wat "swaardjie" beteken en na die vorm van die blare verwys - vandaar die Afrikaanse naam "swaardlelie". Die honderde swaardleliekultivars wat tans in die handel beskikbaar is, is hoofsaaklik ontwikkel uit enkele Suid-Afrikaanse spesies soos G. natalensis. Swaardlelies is een van die drie belangrikste bolblomgewasse en een van die vyf belangrikste snyblomgewasse ter wêreld. Teks, met dank: Dr D.J. Ferreira, Navorsingsinstituut vir Tuinbou, Pretoria.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 23 August 1985. The four stamps, illustrated by S. Nowers, depict Freesia, Nerine, Ixia and Gladiolus, all bulb flowers native to South Africa that went on to become major horticultural exports. The Nerine's species name sarniensis comes from an old name for Guernsey, after the botanist Linnaeus mistakenly assumed the plant was native there. In fact the bulbs had only reached the island as cargo from a ship wrecked on its way from the Far East, and the flower is still known today as the Guernsey lily.

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