List of Hyacinthaceae of South Africa explained

Hyacinthaceae is a family of bulbous monocotyledenous flowering plants (anthophytes) in the order Asparagales. Named after the genus Hyacinthus, Hyacinthaceae include many garden plants and are distributed mostly in Mediterranean climates, including South Africa, Central Asia and South America. Their flowers have six tepals and six stamens with a superior ovary, which previously placed them within the lily family (Liliaceae), and their leaves are fleshy, mucilaginous, and arranged in a basal rosette.

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)).

43 genera 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.

Albuca

Genus Albuca:

Amphisiphon

Genus Amphisiphon:

Baeoterpe

Genus Baeoterpe:

Boweia

Genus Bowiea:

Brachyscypha

Genus Brachyscypha:

Coelanthus

Genus Coelanthus:

Daubenya

Genus Daubenya:

Desertia

Genus Desertia:

Dipcadi

Genus Dipcadi:

Drimia

Genus Drimia:

Drimiopsis

Genus Drimiopsis:

Eliokarmos

Genus Eliokarmos:

Elsiea

Genus Elsiea:

Ethesia

Genus Ethesia:

Eucomis

Genus Eucomis:

Galtonia

Genus Galtonia:

Hyacinthus

Genus Hyacinthus:

Lachenalia

Genus Lachenalia:

Ledebouria

Genus Ledebouria:

Lindneria

Genus Lindneria:

Litanthus

Genus Litanthus:

Massonia

Genus Massonia:

Merwilla

Genus Merwilla:

Nicipe

Genus Nicipe:

Ornithogalum

Genus Ornithogalum:

Periboea

Genus Periboea:

Polyanthes

Genus Polyanthes:

Polyxena

Genus Polyxena:

Pseudogaltonia

Genus Pseudogaltonia:

Pseudoprospero

Genus Pseudoprospero:

Resnova

Genus Resnova:

Rhadamanthus

Genus Rhadamanthus:

Schizobasis

Genus Schizobasis:

Schizocarphus

Genus Schizocarphus:

Scilla

Genus Scilla:

Spetaea

Genus Spetaea:

Stellarioides

Genus Stellarioides:

Tenicroa

Genus Tenicroa:

Thuranthos

Genus Thuranthos:

Trimelopter

Genus Trimelopter:

Urginea

Genus Urginea:

Veltheimia

Genus Veltheimia

Whiteheadia

Genus Whiteheadia: