Romulea Maratti

Iridaceae, Peter Goldblatt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit

Perennials with small globose corms with woody to cartilaginous or papery tunics

Morphology Leaves

Leaves few-several, the lower 2-3 entirely sheathing (cataphylls), membranous or firm and green, foliage leaves all basal, 1-several, linear to ± filiform, the margins and midribs raised and often winged, thus with 2 narrow longitudinal grooves on each surface, the blade oval to terete in transverse section with 2 sinuses on each surface between the margin and the midrib, occasionally nearly plane with lightly thickened margins and midrib

Morphology Stem

Stem short, aerial or subterranean, sometimes above ground in fruit, simple or branched, the branching usually below the ground

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of solitary flowers terminal on the peduncles, the flowers each subtended by 2 opposed bracts; bracts green, often the margins membranous to scarious and pale or ferrugineous, occasionally the inner bract entirely dry

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers actinomorphic, cupulate (hypocrateriform in a few South African SPECIES), variously coloured, often yellow in the centre; tepals united in a short to long tube, subequal, usually ascending below and spreading above

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments erect, ± contiguous, sometimes united; anthers diverging or contiguous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary ovoid, style dividing at or above the level of the anthers, the branches short, usually divided for half their length

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsules oblong

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds several per locule, ± globose or lightly angled, hard, glossy or matt.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Perennials with small globose corms with woody to cartilaginous or papery tunics

Morphology Leaves

Leaves few to several, the lower 2–3 entirely sheathing (cataphylls), membranous or firm and green, foliage leaves all basal, 1–several, linear to ± filiform, the margins and midribs raised and often winged, thus with 2 narrow to longitudinal grooves on each surface, the blade oval to terete in transverse section with 2 sinuses on each surface between the margin and the midrib, occasionally nearly plane with lightly thickened margins and midrib

Morphology Stem

Stem short, aerial or subterranean, sometimes above ground in fruit, simple or branched, the branching usually below the ground

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of solitary flowers terminal on the peduncles, the flowers each subtended by 2 opposed bracts; bracts green, often the margins membranous to scarious and pale or ferrugineous, occasionally the inner bract dry entirely

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers regular, usually cup-shaped, variously coloured, often yellow in the centre; tepals united in a short to long tube, subequal, usually ascending below and spreading above

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments erect, ± adjoining, sometimes united; anthers diverging or adjoining

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary ovoid, style dividing at or above the level of the anthers, the branches short, usually divided for half their length

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsules oblong

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds lightly angled, hard, glossy or matte.

Distribution

Some 120 species in Africa, southern Europe and the Middle East, centred in the SW Cape, and with a secondary centre in the western Mediterranean Basin.