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Family: Amaryllidaceae

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) >  Monocotyledons >  Order: Asparagales

There are about 59 genera and 800 species (warm temperate and tropical regions worldwide), of which 18 genera and about 280 species are indigenous to southern Africa (the region with the highest diversity of amaryllids in the world). An additional one genus and species is naturalised, and an additional 12 genera and 31 species are cultivated in Southern Africa.

Genera indigenous to southern Africa 

Based mainly on Snijman (2000).

Amaryllis

The 2 species are endemic to the Northern Cape and Western Cape within the winter-rainfall region.

Amaryllis belladonna (March Lily, Belladonna)

Ammocharis

The 5 species are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with 3 species in southern Africa.

Apodolirion

About 6 species, all endemic to southern Africa.

Boophone

Two species, both found in southern Africa but with one widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa.

Brunsvigia

The 20 species are endemic to southern Africa.

Carpolyza

The single species Carpolyza spiralis is endemic to the Western Cape.

Clivia

The five species are endemic to southern Africa.

Clivia miniata (Bush Lily, St John's Lily, Clivia, Fire Lily)

Crinum

About 65 species worldwide, found mainly in the tropics. There are about 23 species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional three exotic species are cultivated in the region.

Crinum macowanii (River lily, River crinum)

Crossyne

The 2 species are endemic to the Western Cape and Northern Cape, occurring in the winter-rainfall region.

Cybistetes

The single species Cybistetes longifolia is found in the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Namibia.

Cybistetes longifolia

Cyrtanthus

About 50 species, mainly found in southern Africa but two occurring further north.

Gethyllis

About 32 species, endemic to southern Africa, occurring in semi-arid regions.

Haemanthus

The 22 species are endemic to southern Africa.

Hessea

The 14 species are endemic to southern Africa.

Nerine

About 23 species, all endemic to southern Africa.

Pancratium

About 20 species, found in the Mediterranean region, southern Asia, the Canary Islands and Africa. Pancratium tenuifolium is the only species native to southern Africa, found in Namibia, Botswana and the Northern Province. In addition, Pancratium canariense from the Canary Islands, and Pancratium maritinum from the Mediterranean region, are cultivated in southern Africa.

Scadoxus

The 9 species are native to Africa, with three species indigenous to southern Africa. Scadoxus nutans, indigenous to Ethiopia, is cultivated in the region.

Strumaria

About 23 species, endemic to southern Africa.

Genera naturalised in southern Africa

Zephyranthes

Zephyranthes grandiflora originates from Central America and has become established in coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal. An additional four species are cultivated in southern Africa.

Exotic genera cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glenn (2002). Doryanthes now included in Doryanthaceae in the order Asparagales.

Calostemma

Calostemma purpureum is indigenous to Australia and is cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Chlidanthus

Chlidanthus fragrans is indigenous to Peru and is cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Eucharis

Eucharis grandiflora (Amazon lily) is indigenous to Colombia and is cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Griffinia

Habranthus

Two species, indigenous to South America, are cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Hippeastrum

Three species, indigenous to the Caribbean or South America,  are cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Hymenocallis

Three species, indigenous to Mexico, West Indies and/or South America, are cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Leucojum (snowdrops)

Leucojum aestivum (Summer snowdrop) is indigenous from Europe to the Caucasus and is cultivated in gardens in southern Africa. 

Lycoris

Lycoris radiata is indigenous to Japan  and is cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Narcissus (daffodil genus)

Five species, indigenous to Europe and the Mediterranean, are cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Polianthes

Polianthes tuberosa (Tuberose) is indigenous to Mexico and is cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

Sprekelia

Sprekelia formosissima (Jacobean lily, Maltese cross) is indigenous to Mexico and Guatamala and is cultivated in gardens in southern Africa.

See list of important poisonous species in the Amaryllidaceae that are found in southern Africa.

Publications

  • Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated plants of southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.

  • Snijman, D.A. 2000. Amaryllidaceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa: Families and Genera (Ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, pp. 570-576.

  • Snijman, D.A. & Linder, H.P. 1996. Phylogenetic relationships, seed characters, and dispersal system evolution in Amaryllideae (Amaryllidaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 83: 362-386.

Text by Hamish Robertson 


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