''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'' has flowers from cream to yellow or purple. ''
Sparaxis grandiflora'' 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'' 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 ...
'' and ''
Sparaxis villosa'', 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
* ''
Sparaxis auriculata''
Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
* ''
Sparaxis bulbifera''
( L.) Ker Gawl.
* ''
Sparaxis calcicola''
Goldblatt & J.C.Manning
* ''
Sparaxis caryophyllacea''
Goldblatt
* ''
Sparaxis elegans''
( Sweet) Goldblatt
* ''
Sparaxis fragrans''
(Jacq.
Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin (16 February 172726 October 1817) was a scientist who studied medicine, chemistry and botany.
Biography
Born in Leiden in the Netherlands, he studied medicine at Leiden University, then moved first to Par ...
) Ker Gawl.
* ''
Sparaxis galeata''
Ker Gawl.
* ''
Sparaxis grandiflora ''
( D.Delaroche) Ker Gawl.
**
''Sparaxis grandiflora'' subsp. ''grandiflora'' ( D.Delaroche) Ker Gawl.
**
''Sparaxis grandiflora'' subsp. ''acutiloba'' Goldblatt
**
''Sparaxis grandiflora'' subsp. fimbriata ( Lam.) Goldblatt
**
''Sparaxis grandiflora'' subsp. ''violacea'' ( Eckl.) Goldblatt
* ''
Sparaxis maculosa''
Goldblatt
* ''
Sparaxis metelerkampiae''
(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''
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 ...
* ''
Sparaxis roxburghii''
(Baker
A baker is a tradesperson who bakes and sometimes sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery.
History
Ancient history
Since grains ha ...
) Goldblatt
* ''
Sparaxis tricolor''
( Schneev.) Ker Gawl.
* ''
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 ...
''
( Sweet) Goldblatt
* ''
Sparaxis villosa''
( 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