Chasmanthe Explained

Chasmanthe is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described in 1932. It is endemic to Cape Province in South Africa. It is widely grown as an ornamental and naturalized in various locations.^[1]

In their native habitat the flowers are pollinated by sunbirds. The genus name is derived from the Greek words chasme, meaning "gaping", and anthos, meaning "flower".^[2]

Species^[1]

• Chasmanthe aethiopica (L.) N.E.Br. (Chasmanthe, Cobra Lily) - Cape Province; naturalized in the Canary Islands, Madeira, continental Portugal, continental Spain, Balearics and the Greek islands.^[3]
• Chasmanthe bicolor (Gasp. ex Ten.) N.E.Br. - Cape Province; naturalized in California, Italy and Great Britain^[4]
• Chasmanthe floribunda (Salisb.) N.E.Br. (South African Cornflag, Pennants) - Cape Province; naturalized in California, Algeria, Australia, Argentina, St. Helena

References

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist Series
• PlantZAfrica.com - Chasmanthe aethiopica
• Iziko Museums of Cape Town - Chasmanthe

Notes and References

1. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=327036 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
2. Book: Manning, John . Goldblatt, Peter . The Iris Family: Natural History & Classification . Timber Press . Portland, Oregon. 178–81 . 2008. 978-0-88192-897-6.
3. Web site: Chasmanthe aethiopica (L.) N.E.Br. . . 25 March 2021.
4. Web site: Chasmanthe bicolor (Gasp.) N.E.Br. . . 25 March 2021.