Spermatophyta: Monocotyledonae: Asparagales

Amaryllidaceae - Amaryllis or vlei-lily family

Chase, M.W., Reveal, J.L. & Fay, M.J. (2009) A subfamilial classification for the expanded asparagalean families Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161 132-136

Nordal, I. (1982) Amaryllidaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa

Zimudzi, C., Archer, R.H., Kwembeya, E.G. & Nordal, I. (2008) Amaryllidacae Flora Zambesiaca 13(1)

Description of the family

Herbs with bulbs or rhizomes. Leaves in a basal rosette or fan. Scape leafless, solid or hollow. Inflorescence of 1-many flowers in an umbel-like inflorescence, subtended by an involucre of 1-many bracts and with ephemeral hyaline bracts between the flowers. Flowers showy, bisexual, 3-merous, actinomorphic (less often slightly zygomorphic). Perianth segments in 2 series of 3, free or ± united; corona sometimes present. Stamens 6. Ovary inferior, 3-locular. Fruit a capsule or berry.

Comment: According to latest phylogenetic evidence Amaryllidaceae now includes several subfamilies with genera formerly separated in different families:
- Agapanthoideae was Agapanthaceae;
- Allioideae was Alliaceae;
- Amaryllidoideae was Amaryllidaceae sensu stricto.

Worldwide: 65 genera and 725 species occurring in tropical and warm areas, notably in South Africa and the Andes.

Zimbabwe: 11 genera and 29 taxa.

Cyrtanthus galpinii

Links to genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Ammocharis Herb.Description, Image
Boophone Herb.Description, Image
Crinum L.Description, Image
Cryptostephanus Welw. ex BakerDescription, Image
Cyrtanthus AitonDescription, Image
Nerine Herb.Description, Image
Nothoscordum KunthDescription, Image
Pancratium L.Description, Image
Scadoxus Raf.Description, Image
Tulbaghia L.Description, Image
Zephyranthes Herb.Description

Other sources of information about Amaryllidaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Amaryllidaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Amaryllidaceae
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Amaryllidaceae
Flora of Malawi: Amaryllidaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Amaryllidaceae
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Amaryllidaceae
Flora of Zambia: Amaryllidaceae
Flora of Zambia: cultivated Amaryllidaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Amaryllidaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Amaryllidaceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Amaryllidaceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Amaryllidaceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Amaryllidaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Amaryllidaceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Amaryllidaceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Amaryllidaceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Amaryllidaceae
Wikipedia: Amaryllidaceae
Plants of the World Online: Amaryllidaceae
Tropicos: Amaryllidaceae



Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Family page: Amaryllidaceae.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=9, retrieved 19 March 2024

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