Eriospermum Explained

Eriospermum is a genus of tuberous flowering plants. It contains about 80-100 species, native to sub-Saharan Africa.^[1]

Name

The name "Eriospermum" is from the Greek erion for "wool" and sperma for "seed". In the APG III classification system, the genus is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae (formerly the family Ruscaceae). It was formerly placed in its own family, Eriospermaceae.

Selected species

Sources:^{[2] [3] [4]}

• Eriospermum aphyllum
• Eriospermum bayeri
• Eriospermum bowieanum
• Eriospermum breviscapum
• Eriospermum capense
• Eriospermum cooperi
• Eriospermum dregei
• Eriospermum exile
• Eriospermum graminifolium
• Eriospermum lanceifolium
• Eriospermum paradoxum
• Eriospermum proliferum
• Eriospermum pubescens
• Eriospermum zeyheri

Notes and References

1. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=305531 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
2. Perry, P.L. (1984) Ten new species of Eriospermum from the Western Cape. Journal of South African Botany 50: 503-534.
3. Perry, P.L. (1989) Ten more new species of Eriospermum from the Western Cape. Journal of South African Botany 55: 83-102.
4. Perry, P.L. (1994) A Revision of the Genus Eriospermum (Eriospermaceae). Bolus Herbarium, University of Cape Town, 1: 1-320.