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Burgundy Gemflower

Flower type: Perennial (Stores water in the thickened base of its stem)

This small flower grows up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Its moss green stems grow from the base of the plant in bunches of 8 and are very thick and straight, and split into several branching stems at the base, and the tiny, burgundy leaves are broad, flat with serrated edges. A pair of leaves grow at the base of the stem.

1 to 5 small flowers grow on alternate sides up the length of the stem. The flowers are 3 cm (1.2 inches) wide, with faded red petals on the lower layer and subtle yellow petals decorated with amber dots on the inner layer. The central disk is crimson. The flower head is an uncoordinated mess of 55 curved petals. They detach easily.

It has a strong scent that smells like onion, and it has a fair amount of pollen; it does not cause any allergic reactions. It is pollinated by insects , but is also visited by a small species of bird.

It is suitable for creating tough, hard-wearing textiles
The colour changes depends on whether the soil is acidic or alkaline.