Namophila

Namophila is a monotypic genus of bulbous flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae (also treated as the family Hyacinthaceae).[1] The sole species Namophila urotepala is found only in Namibia.[2]

Namophila
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Namophila
U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies
Species:
N. urotepala
Binomial name
Namophila urotepala
U.Müll.-Doblies & D.Müll.-Doblies

Description

Namophila urotepala grows from an underground bulb, which has a dark brown papery tunic. The bulb produces only two somewhat succulent leaves which spread out on the ground on either side. The flowers are produced in a several-flowered raceme borne on a very short stem so that the inflorescence is at ground level. At the top of the inflorescence is a tuft of bracts. Individual flowers are more-or-less upright, bell-shaped with fused greenish-white tepals which end in a thin "tail". The stamens are also more-or-less upright, with their filaments joined to the mouth of the tubular part of the tepals. The fruiting capsule remains enclosed in the tepals. The black seeds are somewhat globular.[3]

N. urotepala is found only in the mountains of southern Namibia, in arid areas with winter rainfall.[3]

Systematics

The genus and species were named by Ute Müller-Doblies and Dietrich Müller-Doblies in 1997.[2] Placed in the tribe Hyacintheae (or subfamily Hyacinthoideae by those who use the family Hyacinthaceae), Namophila is most closely related to Lachenalia.[3]

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References
  1. Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards), "Asparagales: Scilloideae", Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, retrieved 2014-02-25
  2. "Namophila", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2013-04-08
  3. Manning, J.C.; Goldblatt, P.; Fay, M.F. (2004), "A revised generic synopsis of Hyacintheaceae in sub-Saharan Africa, based on molecular evidence, including new combinations and the new tribe Pseudoprospereae", Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 60 (3): 533–568, doi:10.1017/S0960428603000404
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