''Dierama'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae. Common names include hairbells, angel's fishing rod, fairybells, and wandflowers in English and ''grasklokkies'' (= grass-bells) in Afrikaans.Glen, H
''Dierama reynoldsii''.
South African National Biodiversity Institute. 2005. They are native to Africa, with most occurring in the southern regions of the continent.''Dierama'' K.Koch.
''Flora Zambesiaca''. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The

center of diversity A center of origin is a geographical area where a group of organisms, either domesticated or wild, first developed its distinctive properties. They are also considered centers of diversity. Centers of origin were first identified in 1924 by Ni ...

is the province of

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

in eastern South Africa. Dierama dracomontanum1UME

Description

Plants of this genus are evergreen

perennial herbs A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

growing from large corms with fibrous tunics. The lowest two or three leaves are

cataphyll In plant morphology, a cataphyll (sometimes also called a ''cataphyllum'' or cataphyll leafJackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Derivation and Accent; Published by Gerald Duckworth & Co. London, 4th ed 1928) is a reduce ...

s that sheath the lower stem and become dry. The thin, wiry, branching stem may bend and droop when in flower. It is lined with leaves that have linear blades with thick longitudinal veins and often no midrib. The inflorescence is a

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

of several spikes of flowers. The spikes may hang like bells or grow erect. The

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

s around the flowers are usually dry, thin, membranous, translucent, and streaked or veined with brown. The bell-shaped flowers of most wild species are pink; red, purple, yellow, and white taxa also exist. There are many cultivars in a range of colors, sometimes with spots of yellow or blue. The fruit is a spherical capsule. Dierama pendulum Hairbells Flower 0560

Etymology

The genus name is derived from the Greek word ''dierama,'' meaning "funnel," and alludes to the flower shape.

Diversity

There are about 44 species. Species include:Arnold, T. H. and B. C. de Wet, Eds. Plants of Southern Africa: Names & Distribution. In: ''Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa'' No. 62. National Botanical Institute, South Africa. 1993. ''Dierama''.
Red List of South African Plants. South African National Biodiversity Institute. * ''

Dierama adelphicum ''Dierama'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae. Common names include hairbells, angel's fishing rod, fairybells, and wandflowers in English and ''grasklokkies'' (= grass-bells) in Afrikaans.Glen, H''Dierama reynoldsii''.South ...

'' * ''

Dierama ambiguum ''Dierama'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae. Common names include hairbells, angel's fishing rod, fairybells, and wandflowers in English and ''grasklokkies'' (= grass-bells) in Afrikaans.Glen, H''Dierama reynoldsii''.South ...

'' * ''Dierama argyreum'' * ''Dierama atrum'' * ''Dierama cooperi'' * ''Dierama cupuliflorum''''Dierama cupuliflorum''.
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Kew. *''Dierama densiflorum''''Dierama densiflorum''.
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Kew. * ''Dierama dissimile'' * ''Dierama dracomontanum'' * ''Dierama dubium'' * ''Dierama elatum'' * ''Dierama erectum'' * ''Dierama floriferum'' * ''Dierama formosum'' * ''Dierama galpinii'' * ''Dierama gracile'' * ''Dierama grandiflorum'' * ''Dierama igneum'' * ''Dierama insigne'' *''Dierama inyangense''''Dierama inyangense''.
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Kew. * ''Dierama jucundum'' * ''Dierama latifolium'' *''Dierama longistylum''''Dierama longistylum''.
''Flora Zambesiaca''. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. * ''Dierama luteoalbidum'' * ''Dierama medium'' * ''Dierama mobile'' * ''Dierama mossii'' * ''Dierama nebrownii'' * ''Dierama nixonianum'' * ''Dierama pallidum'' * ''Dierama palustre'' *''Dierama parviflorum''''Dierama parviflorum''.
''Flora Zambesiaca''. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. * ''Dierama pauciflorum'' * ''Dierama pendulum'' - angel's fishing rods, grassy bells,''Dierama pendulum''.
Missouri Botanical Garden. fairybell, hairbell, wedding bell * ''Dierama pictum'' *''Dierama plowesii''''Dierama plowesii''.
World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Kew. * ''Dierama pulcherrimum'' * ''Dierama pumilum'' * ''Dierama reynoldsii'' * ''Dierama robustum'' * ''Dierama sertum'' * ''Dierama trichorhizum'' * ''Dierama tyrium'' * ''Dierama tysonii''

Uses

Some species of dierama are cultivated as ornamental plants, such as the purple-pink-flowered ''D. pendulum''. The South African endemism, endemic ''D. erectum'' is grown for the large, pink flowers it bears on tall, erect stems. It is prone to attack by the bean weevil ''Urodon lilii''.Koetle, M. J., et al. (2010)
''In vitro'' regeneration in ''Dierama erectum'' Hilliard.
''Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture'' 103(1) 23-31. Certain species have been used in traditional African medicine and Traditional African religion, spiritual practices. ''D. erectum'' is used as an enema by the Sotho people and as a treatment for stomach problems. The corm of the plant is a fertility charm for bringing a good harvest.

Conservation

Some species, especially the narrow endemics, are decreasing in abundance due to habitat destruction, loss of habitat. The South African natives ''D. ambiguum'', ''D. erectum'', and ''D. nixonianum'' are considered endangered species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2711838 Dierama, Iridaceae genera Flora of Africa