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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
About 59 genera and 800 species (warm temperate
and tropical regions worldwide), of which 18 genera and 233 species native to southern Africa (the region with the highest
diversity of amaryllids in the world). An additional two genus and two species
are
naturalised, and an additional 11 genera and 29 species are cultivated in Southern Africa.
Genera native to southern Africa
List from Snijman (2000) and
Plants
of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI).
Amaryllis
The 2 species are endemic to the Northern Cape
and Western Cape within the winter-rainfall region. |
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Ammocharis
Seven species, native to sub-Saharan
Africa, with six species native to southern Africa. |
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Apodolirion
Six species, all endemic to southern
Africa. |
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Boophone
Two species, both native to southern Africa.
Boophone disticha is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. |
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Brunsvigia
Eighteen species, all endemic to southern Africa. |
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Clivia
Six
species, all endemic to southern Africa. |
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Crinum
About 65 species worldwide, found
mainly in the tropics, with 22 species native to southern Africa . An
additional three exotic species are cultivated in the region. |
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Crossyne
Two species endemic to
the winter-rainfall regions of the Western Cape and Northern Cape, in South
Africa. |
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Cryptostephanus
One species: Cryptostephanus densiflorus. |
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Cyrtanthus
Bulb contains non-lethal haemolytic saponin and
alkaloids, and causes vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten. Fifty-one species
are native to southern Africa and there is a further species (Cyrtanthus
welwitschii) occurring further north, its distribution including Angola
and Malawi. |
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Gethyllis
Twenty-five species, endemic to
southern Africa, occurring in semi-arid regions. |
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Haemanthus
Twenty-two species, endemic to
southern Africa. |
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Hessea
Thirteen species, all endemic to
southern Africa. |
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Namaquanula
One species: Namaquanula bruce-bayeri. |
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Nerine
Bulbs contain poisonous alkaloids, but not
usually enough to cause death if eaten. Twenty-four species, all endemic to southern Africa. |
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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. |
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Scadoxus
Nine species, native to
Africa, with four species native to southern Africa. Bulbs can contain toxic alkaloids. |
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Strumaria
Twenty-seven species, endemic to
southern Africa. |
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Genera naturalised in southern Africa
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Habranthus
Habranthus robustus is naturalised in the region.
In addition, Habranthus tubispathus is cultivated in the region. |
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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. |
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Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa
List from Glenn (2002). The species name is listed for
genera with only one species recorded in southern Africa. Doryanthes now included in
Doryanthaceae in the order Asparagales.
Calostemma
purpureum
Native to Australia. |
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Chlidanthus fragrans
Native to Peru. |
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Eucharis grandiflora
(Amazon lily)
Native to Colombia. |
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Griffinia
An unidentified species recorded as being cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Hippeastrum
About 90 species and over 600 hybrids, native from Mexico to Argentina, and
the Caribbean. Two species and one hybrid are cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Hymenocallis
Sixty-three species, native to tropical and subtropical South America, with
four species cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Leucojum aestivum (Summer
snowdrop)
Native from Europe to the Caucasus.
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Lycoris radiata
Native to Japan. |
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Narcissus (daffodil genus)
About 27 species, native to Europe, North Africa and Asia, with five species
cultivated in southern Africa. |
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Polianthes tuberosa
(Tuberose)
Native to
Mexico. |
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Sprekelia formosissima
(Jacobean lily, Maltese cross)
Native to Mexico and Guatemala. |
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See list of
important poisonous species in the Amaryllidaceae that are found in southern
Africa.
Publications
Text by Hamish Robertson |