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Genus: Babiana 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
Endemic to southern Africa. Most of the 91 species
are endemic to the Western Cape and Namaqualand (Northern Cape).
Species native to southern Africa
List from
Plants
of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI) and
Flora of
Zimbabwe.
Four main types of pollination have been discerned in this
genus (Goldblatt & Manning 2000):
- Many short-tubed species are pollinated by long-tongued
bees, particularly those in the family Anthophoridae.
- Long-tubed species are pollinated by long-proboscid
flies in the genera Prosoeca and Moegistorhynchus (Diptera:
Nemestrinidae).
- Species with large, actinomorphic flowers are pollinated by monkey
beetles (Hopliini).
- There are 2 or 3 red-flowered species that are
pollinated by sunbirds.
Publications
- Goldblatt, P. 1983. Babiana lobata Lewis. Flowering
Plants of Africa 47: t.1866.
- 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.
- Lewis, G.J. 1959. The genus Babiana. Journal
of South African Botany, Supplementary Volume 3.
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