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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Order: Liliales

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

Four of the eleven families are encountered in southern Africa but only two of them are indigenous. There are about 67 genera and 1558 species, of which 10 genera and 87 species are native to southern Africa, with one genus and species naturalised. An additional five genera and 17 species are cultivated in southern Africa.

Families encountered in southern Africa

Alstroemeriaceae (Peruvian lily family)

Three genera and 165 species (South and Central America). Two genera and six species cultivated in southern Africa.

Alstroemeria aurea (Peruvian lily, Chilean lily)

Colchicaceae

Fifteen genera and 245 species, native to the Old World, with eight genera and 85 species native to southern Africa.

Smilacaceae

Two genera and about 315 species (tropical and temperate regions). Smilax anceps is native to southern Africa, see Flora of Mozambique.

 

Liliaceae

Sixteen genera and 635 species (mainly north temperate regions). Liliaceae used to include a broad range of genera but it has been split into a large number of different families and what remains in the Liliaceae does not include any species native to southern Africa. However one genus and species is naturalised and at least three genera and 11 species are cultivated in the region.

Families not encountered in southern Africa

Corsiaceae, Campynemataceae, Petermanniaceae, Luzuriagaceae, Melanthiaceae, Philesiaceae, Rhipogonaceae