Sparaxis

Ker Gawler

Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 225. 1804.

Etymology: Greek sparasso, to tear, alluding to the sometimes lacerated bracts
Synonyms: Streptanthera Sweet Synnotia Sweet
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 404. Mentioned on page 349.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA26 Plate 065.jpegCrocosmia ×crocosmiiflora
Chasmanthe floribunda
Sparaxis tricolor
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Herbs, perennial, from corms. Stems simple or branched. Leaves several, sometimes prostrate; blade plane, ensiform to oblong. Inflorescences spicate, spiral or secund, 2–5-flowered [–many-flowered]; bracts pale to light-brown, irregularly streaked with dark-brown, unequal, outer usually exceeding inner, scarious, acute or 3-cuspidate, inner apex 2-furcate to 2-cuspidate. Flowers odorless [fragrant], actinomorphic [zygomorphic]; perianth-tube funnel-shaped, sometimes obliquely so; tepals spreading, connate into tube, variously colored, sometimes with strongly contrasting markings, subequal, outer whorl slightly larger than inner [unequal, dorsal tepal largest]; stamens symmetrically arranged [asymmetrical], unilateral; anthers straight [coiled]; style [unilateral, often arching over filaments] dividing into 3 short branches, apices spatulate [long, filiform]. Capsules globose to oblong, cartilaginous. Seeds 8–15 per locule, globose; seed-coat light to dark-brown, hard, shiny. x = 10.

Distribution

Introduced; s Africa

Discussion

Species 15 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

... more about "Sparaxis"
dehiscing +  and latrorse +
spatulate +
Peter Goldblatt +
Ker Gawler +
parallel-veined +
ensiform +  and oblong +
streaked with dark-brown +, pale +  and light-brown +
unequal +
flattened +, divided +  and filiform +
expanded +
globose +  and oblong +
monochasial +
s Africa +
Greek sparasso, to tear, alluding to the sometimes lacerated bracts +
distinct or;partly completely connate +
actinomorphic +
odorless +
winged +, branched +  and simple +
angled +, compressed +  and terete +
indehiscent +  and loculicidal +
woody;firm;cartilaginous +
2-5-flowered +, secund +  and spicate +
2-furcate +  and 2-cuspidate +
cauline +  and basal +
3-cuspidate +  and acute +
slightly larger +
funnel--shaped +
petaloid +, zygomorphic +  and actinomorphic +
Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) +
light;dark-brown +
8 +  and 15 +
globose +
monochasial +
branched +  and simple +
3-lobed +  and filiform +
Streptanthera +  and Synnotia +
Sparaxis +
Iridaceae +
subequal +
unequal +