Babiana ambigua have been observed in the Rooiels Nature Reserve, but they are probably on the lower slopes of our mountains and on the sandy flats near the coast too.

In Afrikaans they are called “bobbejaantjies”, because baboons eat the corms, as described by Carl Thunberg in 1795. Thunberg was a Swedish explorer and is regarded by some as the father of botany in South Africa.  

The fragrant flowers are blue to mauve with darker mauve and white to cream markings on lower tepals.

The leaves linear-lanceolate, pleated and hairy and often longer than the flower stem.

The corms are edible and William Burchell mentioned in 1811 that it was a favourite food of the Griqua people.

The status is of No Concern.