Genus: Lapeirousia

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 >  Family: Iridaceae

Occurs from Nigeria and Ethiopia through to the Western Cape in South Africa. Of the 40 species, 35 are found in southern Africa. The greatest diversity is in the semi-arid habitats of the Northern Cape (Namaqualand and western karoo).

Flowers of Lapereirousia vary greatly in morphology according to the insects that pollinate them (Goldblatt & Manning 2000):

• Short-tubed species are pollinated by bees, bombyliid flies, noctuid moths and butterflies.
• Long-tubed species with red, purple to pink to cream flowers are pollinated by long-tongued flies in the genera Philoliche (Tabanidae), Prosoeca and Moegistorhynchus (Nemestrinidae).
• Long-tubed, pale-coloured, fragrant species are pollinated by sphingid and other moths. 

Publications

• Goldblatt, P. 1972. A revision of the genera Lapeirousia Pourret and Anomatheca Ker in the winter rainfall region of South Africa. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 4.

• Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J.C. 1992. Systematics of the southern African Lapeirousia corymbosa (Iridaceae-Ixioideae) complex (sect. Fastigiata) and a new species of sect. Paniculata. South African Journal of Botany 58: 326-336.

• Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J.C. 2000. Iridaceae. In: In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 623-638. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.