Androcymbium melanthioides

Androcymbium melanthioides (the African crocus, Afrikaans: bobbejaanskoen, "baboon shoe") is a plant native to Namibia and South Africa. It is not found in KwaZulu-Natal and is registered under the SANBI Red List as "safe" (LC).[2]

African crocus[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Colchicaceae
Genus: Androcymbium
Species:
A. melanthioides
Binomial name
Androcymbium melanthioides

There are three subspecies:

  • Androcymbium melanthioides subsp. australe
  • Androcymbium melanthioides subsp. melanthioides
  • Androcymbium melanthioides subsp. transvaalense

The plant is a geophyte with an asymmetrical bulb covered in black fibrous tissue. The sepals are satiny in texture and range from light pink to light purple to light green in color, with many small flowers within.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Common Names-Namibia" (PDF). Oxford University Herbaria. Oxford University.
  2. ^ "SANBI Red List entry".
  3. ^ "PlantZAfrica veld flora". Archived from the original on 2015-04-21. Retrieved 2019-04-12.