A Systematic Account of Haemanthus (Amaryllidaceae: Haemantheae)

About this book

Haemanthus, a genus of 25 attractive bulbous plant species endemic to southern Africa, is a member of the sub-Saharan and Arabian Peninsula Haemantheae, the only tribe in Amaryllidaceae with baccate fruits. Haemanthus has a brush-type inflorescence of many small flowers surrounded by several large spathe bracts. This account provides a phylogeny-based subgeneric classification and two subgenera are recognised: Haemanthus, endemic to the winter-rainfall region, includes 18 species of hysteranthous-leaved plants with pink or red flowers; and Serena, restricted to regions of summer or nonseasonal rain, encompasses seven species of synanthous- or near synanthous-leaved plants with white or pink flowers. Radiation patterns suggest that speciation was likely due to vicariance, driven by the steady ecological and geographical isolation of the group’s two major lineages under past climatic changes. This account gives the taxonomic history of the genus, describes character and species diversity and possible evolutionary pathways in the group. Keys are provided to the subgenera, species and subspecies. Each taxon is fully described with complete nomenclature and discussion on diagnostic characters, putative relationships and ecology. Species and subspecies are illustrated with colour plates of paintings and photographs, and maps show the distribution range.

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