Description:

• Acaulescent or scapose geophytes
• Corms deep-seated, asymmetrical, covered with hard dark tunics; new corms producing a basal lateral bulge, with tunics extended below into a broad, downward fold where roots emerge fan-wise
• Shoots usually forming long neck enclosed in tubular, truncate, gaping sheath, acaulescent or produced into leafy scape
• Leaves 2-many, distichous, linear to ovate-acuminate, canaliculate with a broad sheathing base; acaulescent species with leaves spreading at ground level and sessile inflorescence in centre
• Flowers (1-)many in a terminal capitulum surrounded by, often large, petaloid, colourful bracts, the whole resembling one flower; pedicels and bracts present
• Perianth: segments free, ovate-acuminate, margins involute, with a pair of nectaries above claw
• Stamens arising from claw, exserted or included; anthers basifixed, introrse
• Ovary ovoid, deeply 3-sulcate, each locule attenuated into a style ending in a minute stigma; ovules many
• Capsule 3-sulcate, ovoid-acuminate, topped with 3 subulate style bases, or obtusely obovoid, with style bases divergent, septicidally 3-valved
• Seeds globose or angled by pressure, minutely verrucose
• x = 9 (8) (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Androcymbium Willd.
  • Willdenow: 21, t. 2 (1808)
  • Baker: 516 (1897)
  • Krause: 512 (1921)
  • Sölch et al.: 20 (1970)
  • Müller-Doblies & Müller-Doblies: 551 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 40, 1 in North Africa and 1 in Mediterranean region
• Southern Africa: Species ± 28, widespread in all countries and provinces