Asparagaceae

Drimia Jacq. ex Willd.

First published in Sp. Pl., ed. 4. 2: 165 (1799)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Africa, S. Europe to Indo-China.

Descriptions

Hyacinthaceae, Brita Stedje, Ph.D.. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit
Plants slender to robust, usually flowering before the leaves
Vegetative Multiplication Bulbs
Bulbs often somewhat pinkish or reddish; bulb scales firmly or loosely packed
Morphology Leaves
Leaves filiform, linear or lanceolate; margin ciliate in some SPECIES
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Scape
Scape glabrous, usually erect
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a lax to extremely dense raceme; pedicels erect or ascending; lower bract, at least, bearing a pit or a spur, sometimes 2, one in the middle of the bract and one close to the scape
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth-segments free or united
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments free or united with the perianth-segments
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 3-locular, with many ovules per locule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ovoid to subglobose, sometimes with an emarginate apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds black, most often flattened and winged with an approximately semicircular outline.
[FTEA]

Hyacinthaceae, Brita Stedje, Ph.D.. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit
Leaves usually one and narrowly linear, present only on young bulbs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence glabrous, hanging, prostrate or erect, branched, up to 35 cm.; bracts lanceolate, spurred
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth-segments free, whitish, occasionally with a coloured midrib, cohering above when faded, circumscissile above, forming a cap on the developing capsule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ellipsoid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds black, flattened.
[FTEA]

Stedje, B. & Kativu, S. (2023). Hyacinthaceae. In: M.A. García & B.F.P. Loeuille (eds), Flora Zambesiaca, Vol. 13(3). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Morphology General Habit
Bulbous perennial herbs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1 or 2, sometimes present only in seedling stage, filiform or terete, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence up to 35 cm, glabrous, hanging, prostrate or erect, somewhat to heavily branched; bracts lanceolate, spurred
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals free, whitish, occasionally with a coloured midrib, cohering above when faded, circumscissile below, forming a cap on the developing capsule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ellipsoid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds black, flattened.
Distribution
A genus of two ssp. from Ethiopia to South Africa.
[FZ]

Stedje, B. & Kativu, S. (2023). Hyacinthaceae. In: M.A. García & B.F.P. Loeuille (eds), Flora Zambesiaca, Vol. 13(3). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Morphology General Habit
Bulbous geophytic herbs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth tubular, deciduous, tube oblong, segments short, ovate, obtuse, ascending
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 6, uniseriate, inserted below throat of perianth tube; anthers subsessile, included, dehiscing introsely
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary ovoid, sessile, trilocular; ovules many; style filiform; stigma capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ovoid, membranous, loculicidally 3-halved
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds compressed; testa black.
Distribution
A monotypic genus confined to subtropical southern Africa.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0