''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flower in spring and survive underground as dormant corms over summer. Their conspicuous flowers have six tepals, which in most species are equal in size and shape. ''

Sparaxis bulbifera ''Sparaxis bulbifera'', commonly known as harlequin flower, is a bulb-forming perennial plant. The species is native to Cape Province in South Africa and naturalised in the Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , ...

'' has flowers from cream to yellow or purple. ''

Sparaxis grandiflora ''Sparaxis grandiflora'', the plain harlequin flower, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Sparaxis'', family Iridaceae, found in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Gard ...

'' is a similar but larger plant. In cultivation in the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

. ''

Sparaxis tricolor ''Sparaxis tricolor'', known by the common names wandflower, harlequin flower, and sparaxis, is a bulb In botany, a bulb is structurally a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf basesBell, A.D. 1997. ''Plant form: an illustrated guide to flow ...

'' has bright red flowers with yellow and black centres. Many named hybrid cultivars were bred from ''S. bulbifera'' and ''S. tricolor''. A group of species with asymmetrical flowers marked in mauve and yellow, including ''

Sparaxis variegata ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flow ...

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Sparaxis villosa ''Sparaxis villosa'', is a species of ''Sparaxis'' found in South Africa. References External links * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q15584022 villosa ''Villosa'' is a genus of freshwater mussels, aquatic bivalve molluscs in the family Unionidae ...

'', was formerly treated as the genus ''Synnotia''. The genus name is derived from the Greek word ''sparasso'', meaning "to tear", and alludes to the shape of the floral bracts.

Species

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Sparaxis auriculata ''Sparaxis auriculata'', is a species of ''Sparaxis ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are ...

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Sparaxis calcicola ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flow ...

'' Goldblatt & J.C.Manning * ''

Sparaxis caryophyllacea ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flow ...

'' Goldblatt * ''

Sparaxis elegans ''Sparaxis elegans'', is a species of ''Sparaxis ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are pe ...

'' ( Sweet) Goldblatt * ''

Sparaxis fragrans ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flow ...

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* ''

Sparaxis galeata ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are perennials that grow during the wet winter season, flow ...

* ''

'' ( D.Delaroche)

** ''Sparaxis grandiflora'' subsp. ''grandiflora'' ( D.Delaroche)

** ''Sparaxis grandiflora'' subsp. ''acutiloba'' Goldblatt ** ''Sparaxis grandiflora'' subsp. fimbriata ( Lam.) Goldblatt ** ''Sparaxis grandiflora'' subsp. ''violacea'' ( Eckl.) Goldblatt * ''

Sparaxis maculosa ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All are perennial flowers, perennials that grow during the wet winter ...

'' Goldblatt * ''

Sparaxis metelerkampiae ''Sparaxis metelerkampiae'', is a species of ''Sparaxis ''Sparaxis'' is a genus of flowering plants called the harlequin flowers. It belongs to the iris family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa. All ...

'' (

L.Bolus Harriet Margaret Louisa Bolus ''née'' Kensit (31 July 1877, Burgersdorp – 5 April 1970, Cape Town) was a South African botanist and taxonomist, and the longtime curator of the Bolus Herbarium, from 1903. Bolus also has the legacy of authorin ...

) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning * '' Sparaxis parviflora'' ( G.J.Lewis) Goldblatt * '' Sparaxis pillansii''

* '' Sparaxis roxburghii'' (

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) Goldblatt * ''

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'' ( Sweet) Goldblatt * ''

'' ( Burm.f.) Goldblatt

References

External links

* *Goldblatt, P. (1999). Sparaxis. ''Flora of Southern Africa'' 7: 151–169.
Flora of North America
{{Taxonbar, from=Q124864 Iridaceae genera