Gethyllidinae

Gethyllidinae is a small subtribe within the amaryllis family. It is within tribe Haemantheae, and therefore within the African clades of Amaryllidoideae. It contains two genera, ''Gethyllis'' and ''Apodolirion'', both are endemic to southern Africa.

Description

''Gethyllis'' and ''Apodolirion'' are two unifloral genera with fused spathe bracts that retain the ovary inside the bulbs until the fruit matures. In both the scape remains inside the bulbs. The fruit is large, fleshy, and aromatic with many seeds, and distinct from the rest of Haemantheae which have berry fruits with only a few seeds. These seeds are also small and hard, while the rest of Haemantheae have seeds that are larger, fleshy and water rich.

The genera are also distinguished from each other by their stigmata. In ''Gethyllis'' this is capitate, while in ''Apodolirion'' it is trifid. Also, ''Apodolirion'' has six stamina while ''Gethyllis'' has many more, with some species having 18 or more.

Taxonomy

For the early taxonomic history of these two genera, see Meerow and Clayton (2004). ''Gethyllis'' was one of the two Hamantheae genera to be described (Linnaeus 1753), and in 1829 Dumortier placed it in a monotypic higher taxon, tribe Gethyllideae, and hence is given as the authority, a practice followed by Salisbury. Baker described ''Apodolirion'' in 1878, noting the close resemblance to Gethyllis. Pax (1888) then placed both genera in his subtribe Zephyranthinae, as one of six genera, a practice followed by Hutchinson (1926), though at tribal rank.

Traub recognised the distinct features of these two genera, for which he created the tribe Gethylleae in his 1963 monograph on the Amaryllidaceae, based on the type genus ''Gethyllis''. He (amongst others) even expressed the idea that they might be a single genus. On the other hand, Dahlgren (1985) submerged them once again in Haemantheae. Subsequently, the Müller-Doblies' restored Gethyllidinae as a tribe. Later molecular phylogenetic research has shown that these two genera, while forming a monophyletic subclade, is situated as one of three subtribes of Haemantheae, since forming a separate tribe renders Haemantheae paraphyletic. Although the two genera are resolved in this process as distinct sister groups, the possibility that they may eventually be considered a single genus remains.

Phylogeny

The Gethyllidinae are placed within the Haemantheae as follows:

Genera

* ''Apodolirion'' (~6 species)
* ''Gethyllis'' (~35 species)

Distribution and habitat

''Gethyllis'' is found in winter rainfall regions of southern Africa, while ''Apodolirion'' is found in the summer rainfall zone.

References

Bibliography

* Volume 2: Dicotyledonae 1934.
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External links

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q23015953

Amaryllidoideae
Flora of Southern Africa
Plant subtribes