|
Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae (aloe family)
[= Hemerocallidaceae, Asphodelaceae] 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
Thirty-five genera and about 900 species, with a
world-wide distribution (excluding polar regions). A total of 10 genera and 446 species
are native to southern Africa, one species is naturalised and an additional
five genera and 17 species are
cultivated in the region. Families Asphodelaceae
and Hemerocallidaceae have been included as subfamilies within the
Xanthorrhoeaceae.
Genera native to southern Africa
Information from Meyer (2000), Smith & Meyer
(2000) and
Plants
of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI).
Aloe About 500 species, native to Africa, the Arabian
Peninsula, Socotra and Madagascar, and naturalised in Australia, the
Mediterranean, India, China, South America and the Caribean Islands. A total of
138
species are native to southern Africa, one species is naturalised and a further
seven species are cultivated
in the region. Previously in the Asphodelaceae, which
has been sunk under Xanthorrhoeaceae. |
|
Astroloba Endemic to Western and Eastern
Cape, where seven species are known. Previously in the Asphodelaceae, which has been sunk under
Xanthorrhoeaceae. |
|
Bulbine
A total of 69 species are native to
southern Africa. |
|
Bulbinella A total of 23
species, with 17 native to southern Africa and six native to New
Zealand.
Previously in the Asphodelaceae, which has been sunk under
Xanthorrhoeaceae. |
 |
Caesia
Thirteen species: nine native to Australia, one
from Madagascar and three native to southern Africa. |
|
Chortolirion
Three species globally, of which two are native to southern Africa - Chortolirion
angolense and Chortolirion tenuifolium (recorded from
Zimbabwe). |
|
Gasteria
A total of 22 species, all endemic to southern Africa. |
 |
Haworthia
A total of 87 species, all endemic
to southern Africa, mainly in Western and Eastern Cape. |
 |
Kniphofia (red-hot pokers) About 70
species found mainly in Africa but with one species in Madagascar and one in the
South Arabian Peninsula. A total of 46 species are native to southern
Africa. |
 |
| Trachyandra About 56 species, all African.
A total of 55 species are native in southern Africa, most of them in the
winter rainfall area of the Western Cape. |
|
Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa
List from Glen (2002), where
these genera are placed under Liliaceae.
Asphodeline lutea (Yellow
asphodel)
Native to the Mediterranean. Previously in the Asphodelaceae, which has been
sunk under Xanthorrhoeaceae. |
|
Asphodelus (asphodels)
Two species cultivated. |
|
|
Dianella (flax lilies)
Three species cultivated. |
|
Hemerocallis
Native to Europe, China, Japan and Korea. Cultivated for their flowers,
including in gardens in southern Africa. At least three species cultivated
in southern Africa. |
 |
|
Phormium tenax (New Zealand flax)
Native to New Zealand. |
 |
Publications
-
Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated plants of southern
Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
-
Meyer, N.L. 2000. Anthericaceae. In: Seed Plants
of Southern Africa: Families and Genera (Ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia
10. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, pp. 576-577.
-
Smith, G.F. & Meyer, N.L. 2000.
Asphodelaceae. In: Seed plants of southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner).
Strelitzia 10:
582-586.
National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
-
Sölch, A., Roessler, H. & Merxmüller, H.
1970. Liliaceae. Prodromus einer flora von Südwestafrika 147: 1-75.
Text by Hamish Robertson
|
