Sinningia reitzii is a variable species in both flower color and foliage characters. This specimen featured above is an example of an early introduction, initially known as Sinningia sp. “New Zealand”, and was at least a meter tall and perhaps somewhat wider in total spread. It was photographed in the 1980s. Juvenile foliage in this cultivar is very dark, with attractive lighter veining. The variegation is retained to a small degree in the mature foliage, as a paler mid-rib. Other cultivars of the species do not exhibit this variegation.

The cultivar known as S. reitzii “Saltao” has a different habit, with the flowers held in what appears to be a terminal inflorescence, rather than emerging from leaf axils; it may turn out to be a separate species.

Additional photos may be seen in a slide-show by clicking one of the links below:

• The leaves on the feature plant above have red-backed leaves to varying degrees
• A close-up of the flowers shows relatively faint markings on the throat; these can be more pronounced in other cultivars of the species
• A basket plant shows the woody leafless stems that are not readily apparent when a plant is viewed from above
• The cultivar S. reitzii “Corupa” is similar to the feature plant above, but with more solidly red-backed leaves
• S. reitzii “Saltao” inflorescence
• Another inflorescence
• S. reitzii “Saltao” flower close-up
• S. reitzii “Black Hills” has dark foliage and maroon flowers, but otherwise is similar to the feature plant above
• A plant exhibited at the 2020 virtual show of the Gesneriad Society appears to be “Black Hills” or a similar cultivar; in this case it has been grown as a small bonsai plant
• A plant grown at Geneva Botanical Gardens, and identified as S. aff. reitzii, suggesting a similarity to that species but without confirmation
• A large plant grown outside in New South Wales, Australia
• The enormous tuber of this plant
• A melange illustrating three forms of the species