Witchweed

 

I got reports of pilgrims camping in the veld near my home, so I got dress and was about to set out to see them off, when the heavens opened up and poured cats and dogs. An hour later the downpour was over so off I set, through the wet veld and just before reaching the reported location of the camp, a flash of purple caught my eye.

Among the damp grass was this beautiful looking plant, only to find out later that it is a grass parasitic plant called Witchweed. This plant attaches itself to the grass' roots and steals soil nutrients and moisture from the grass. Beautiful but deadly.