Taxon	Illustrator ⠉
	Freesia alba Romulea rosea Gladiolus dalenii subsp. dalenii	Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Herbs, perennial, from corms. Stems: true stem aerial [subterranean and only peduncles of individual flowers aerial], simple or branched. Leaves 1–several; blade linear, oval to terete in cross-section, 4-grooved (2 on each surface, on either side of thickened midrib) [2-grooved]. Inflorescences solitary flowers, interpreted as sessile, thus without pedicels; bracts inserted at ovary base, green or flushed with purple, unequal, outer exceeding inner, firm, inner bract margins membranous to scarious (rarely entirely scarious). Flowers odorless [fragrant], actinomorphic; tepals forming wide cup, connate into tube, subequal, outer whorl often slightly larger than inner; perianth-tube funnel-shaped [or cylindric]; stamens symmetrical; filaments distinct [connate]; anthers usually erect, contiguous; style branching opposite or beyond anthers into 3 slender branches divided for ± 1/2 length. Capsules ovoid-oblong, walls firm, cartilaginous. Seeds many, globose; seed-coat light to dark-brown, often smooth, shiny. x = 13 or 14.

Distribution

Introduced; Africa, s Europe, Middle East

Discussion

Species ca. 90 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Romulea rosea