Description :

• Deciduous, predominantly rhizomatous herbs
• Rhizome elongated or with a bulbous part above
• Leaves several, narrowed into a petiole-like base, present during or after flowering; blade ovate to lanceolate, thin-textured, glabrous, with a distinct midrib; petioles often sheathing to form a false stem, with or without red spotting
• Inflorescence a many-flowered, compact or spreading head; scape fleshy, stout, solid, slightly compressed, glabrous, erect or drooping in fruit; spathe valves 4 or more, large, ± erect and showy, or thin and early-withering
• Flowers regular, salver-shaped and spreading apart or narrowly funnel-shaped, erect and dense, rarely drooping, red to orange; pedicels shorter to slightly longer than perigone
• Tepals connate into a short to long tube; segments connivent or spreading, equalling to longer than perigone tube
• Stamens erect or spreading, ± equal, arising in perigone throat; filaments filiform, free at base, slightly longer than tepal segments; anthers dorsifixed, versatile
• Ovary subglobose; ovules 1-few per locule
• Style erect, filiform, as long as stamens; stigma undivided
• Berry ovoid to globose, red with yellow flesh
• Seeds ovoid, ivory-coloured; embryo green
• x = 9

Nomenclature:

• Scadoxus Raf.
  • Rafinesque: 19 (1838)
  • Bjørnstad & Friis: 187 (1972a) in part
  • Friis & Nordal: 64 (1976)
• Gyaxis Salisb.
  • Salisbury: 131 (1866)
  • Bjørnstad & Friis: 243 (1974).
• Nerissa Salisb.
  • Salisbury: 131 (1866)
  • Bjørnstad & Friis: 254 (1974).
• Demeusea T.Durand & De Wild.
  • Durand & De Wildeman: 78 (1900)
  • Bjørnstad & Friis: 207 (1972b).
• Choananthus Rendle
  • Rendle: 237 (1908)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global : Species 9; widespread in tropical Africa
• Southern Africa : 3, in all countries and provinces except the Free State, Lesotho and Northern Cape