List of Asparagales of South Africa explained

Asparagales (asparagoid lilies) is an order of flowering plants (anthophytes) in modern classification systems such as the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) and the Angiosperm Phylogeny Web. The order takes its name from the type family Asparagaceae and is placed in the monocots amongst the lilioid monocots. The order has only recently been recognized in classification systems. It was first put forward by Huber in 1977 and later taken up in the Dahlgren system of 1985 and then the APG in 1998, 2003 and 2009. Before this, many of its families were assigned to the old order Liliales, a very large order containing almost all monocots with colorful tepals and lacking starch in their endosperm. DNA sequence analysis indicated that many of the taxa previously included in Liliales should actually be redistributed over three orders, Liliales, Asparagales, and Dioscoreales. The boundaries of the Asparagales and of its families have undergone a series of changes in recent years; future research may lead to further changes and ultimately greater stability. In the APG circumscription, Asparagales is the largest order of monocots with 14 families, 1,122 genera, and about 36,000 species.

The order is clearly circumscribed on the basis of molecular phylogenetics, but it is difficult to define morphologically since its members are structurally diverse. Most species of Asparagales are herbaceous perennials, although some are climbers and some are tree-like. The order also contains many geophytes (bulbs, corms, and various kinds of tuber). According to telomere sequence, at least two evolutionary switch-points happened within the order. One of the defining characteristics (synapomorphies) of the order is the presence of phytomelanin, a black pigment present in the seed coat, creating a dark crust. Phytomelanin is found in most families of the Asparagales (although not in Orchidaceae, thought to be the sister-group of the rest of the order). The leaves of almost all species form a tight rosette, either at the base of the plant or at the end of the stem, but occasionally along the stem. The flowers are not particularly distinctive, being 'lily type', with six tepals and up to six stamina. The order is thought to have first diverged from other related monocots some 120–130 million years ago (early in the Cretaceous period), although given the difficulty in classifying the families involved, estimates are likely to be uncertain.

From an economic point of view, the order Asparagales is second in importance within the monocots to the order Poales (which includes grasses and cereals). Some species are used as food and flavourings.

The anthophytes are a grouping of plant taxa bearing flower-like reproductive structures. They were formerly thought to be a clade comprising plants bearing flower-like structures. The group contained the angiosperms - the extant flowering plants, such as roses and grasses - as well as the Gnetales and the extinct Bennettitales.

23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.

The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).

14 families are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Agapanthaceae

Family Agapanthaceae,

Agapanthus

Genus Agapanthus:

Mauhlia

Genus Mauhlia:

Agavaceae

Family: Agavaceae,

Agave

Genus Agave:

Anthericum

Genus Anthericum:

Chlorophytum

Genus Chlorophytum:

Furcraea

Genus Furcraea:

Alliaceae

Family: Alliaceae,

Allium

Genus Allium:

Nothoscordum

Genus Nothoscordum:

Prototulbaghia

Genus Prototulbaghia:

Tulbaghia

Genus Tulbaghia:

Amaryllidaceae

Family: Amaryllidaceae,

Amaryllis

Genus Amaryllis:

Ammocharis

Genus Ammocharis:

Apodolirion

Genus Apodolirion:

Bokkeveldia

Genus Bokkeveldia:

Boophone

Genus Boophone:

Brunsvigia

Genus Brunsvigia:

Carpolyza

Genus Carpolyza:

Chlidanthus

Genus Chlidanthus:

Clivia

Genus Clivia:

Crinum

Genus Crinum:

Crossyne

Genus Crossyne:

Cyrtanthus

Genus Cyrtanthus:

Gemmaria

Genus Gemmaria:

Gethyllis

Genus Gethyllis:

Haemanthus

Genus Haemanthus:

Hessea

Genus Hessea:

Leucojum

Genus Leucojum:

Namaquanula

Genus Namaquanula:

Narcissus

Genus Narcissus:

Nerine

Genus Nerine:

Pancratium

Genus Pancratium:

Scadoxus

Genus Scadoxus:

Strumaria

Genus Strumaria:

Tedingea

Genus Tedingea:

Zephyranthes

Genus Zephyranthes:

Asparagaceae

Family: Asparagaceae,

Asparagus

Genus Asparagus:

Behnia

Genus Behnia:

Myrsiphyllum

Genus Myrsiphyllum:

Protasparagus

Genus Protasparagus:

Asphodelaceae

See main article: List of Asphodelaceae of South Africa. Family: Asphodelaceae, 21 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.

Hemerocallidaceae

Family: Hemerocallidaceae,

Caesia

Genus Caesia:

Cianella

Genus Dianella:

Phormium

Genus Phormium:

Hyacinthaceae

See main article: List of Hyacinthaceae of South Africa. Family: Hyacinthaceae, 43 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.

Hypoxidaceae

Family: Hypoxidaceae:

Empodium

Genus Empodium:

Hypoxis

Genus Hypoxis:

Pauridia

Genus Pauridia:

Rhodohypoxis

Genus Rhodohypoxis:

Saniella

Genus Saniella:

Spiloxene

Genus Spiloxene is now included in Pauridia.[1]

Iridaceae

See main article: List of Iridaceae of South Africa. Family: Iridaceae, 65 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.

Lanariaceae

Family: Lanariaceae,

Lanaria

Genus Lanaria:

Orchidaceae

See main article: List of Orchidaceae of South Africa. Family: Orchidaceae, 67 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.

Ruscaceae

Family: Ruscaceae,

Dracaena

Genus Dracaena:

Eriospermum

Genus Eriospermum:

Sansevieria

Genus Sansevieria:

Tecophilaeaceae

Family: Tecophilaeaceae,

Cyanella

Genus Cyanella:

Walleria

Genus Walleria:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pauridia Harv. . Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2020-11-30 .