Strumaria massoniella (D.Mull.-Doblies & U.Mull.-Doblies) Snijman
VU Indigenous Endemic

Morphological description

Bulb solitary, ovoid, 15-19 mm diam., with a fine felt-like covering, pale yellow within; neck 50-80 mm long. Leaves absent at anthesis, 2, appressed to the ground, ovate to suborbicular, 23-30(-50) x 18-23 mm, convex on the adaxial surface, concave on the other; adaxial surface with dense marginal hairs 0.5-1.0(-1.3) mm long, otherwise glabrous. Inflorescence slightly to widely spreading, 60-70 mm across; scape flexuose, 80-120 mm long, 2-5 mm diam., dark wine-red proximally, leaden-grey above; spathe valves lanceolate, 13-25 x 2-5 mm; bracteoles up to 3.5 mm long. Flowers 9-14, initially somewhat clustered, spreading later, stellate, pale pink, with an olive green dorsal median stripe on each tepal, ageing to deeper pink, scented; pedicels straight, 25-43 mm long, leaden-grey flushed with pink.Tepals free to the base, outspread or occasionally slightly deflexed, oblong-lanceolate 3.5-8.5 x 1.2-2.0 mm, channelled. Stamens equalling or slightly shorter than the tepals, widely spreading; filaments separate, up to 5 mm long, adnate to the broadened style base, somewhat bulbous proximally, subulate distally; anthers sub-centrifixed, 1.8 mm long and wine-red before opening; pollen cream-coloured. Ovary with an unknown number of ovules. Style slightly exceeding the stamens, up to 9 mm long, depressed-conoidal basally, extending into a narrowly tapering terete column distally, with nectar collecting in 3 droplets between the base and inner filaments. From: Snijman, DA. 1994. Systematics of Hessea, Strumaria and Carpolyza (Amaryllideae:Amaryllidaceae). Contr. Bolus Herb. 16: 2-158. [All rights reserved]

Bulbous geophyte, 120-150 mm tall. Leaves 2, dry at flowering, prostrate, narrowly elliptical, `hump-backed' in appearance. Flowers in a spreading cluster, stellate, pale pink with a narrow, olive green median stripe on each tepal. From: Snijman, DA. 2013. Amaryllidaceae. In: DA Snijman (ed.), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The Extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30: 33-42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

Diagnostic description

This poorly known species is closely related to S. merxmuelleriana and S. karooica. The original diagnosis of S. massoniella stresses that leaf position and leaf covering distinguish it from its allies. The appressed leaves are stated to distinguish it from S. karooica and the ciliate leaves to separate it from S. merxmuelleriana (Miiller-Doblies 1985). Field studies have since shown that appressed leaves are characteristic of S. karooica in nature, unlike the erect leaves shown in Barker's illustration (Barker 1935), probably drawn from a bulb in cultivation. Furthermore, leaf pubescence in S. karooica has been observed to be somewhat variable. The leaves are usually glabrous with minutely scabrous margins, but occasionally the adaxial surface may be softly and sparsely pubescent, with hairs up to 3 mm long. These characters therefore do not reliably retain their diagnostic value. Thus, from current data, the only character which remains to distinguish S. massoniella is the typical arch-shaped curvature of the leaves. The flowers, which have channelled tepals, are very similar to those of S. merxmuelleriana but are unlike those of S. karooica, which has flat tepals. Strumaria massoniella inhabits a region of extremely unreliable rainfall, a factor which appears to limit flowering. The discovery of further plants during a favourable season may resolve the uncertain status of this taxon, but until such material becomes available, S. massoniella is maintained as a separate species on the basis of its uniquely shaped leaves. From: Snijman, DA. 1994. Systematics of Hessea, Strumaria and Carpolyza (Amaryllideae:Amaryllidaceae). Contr. Bolus Herb. 16: 2-158. [All rights reserved]

Habitat

Strumaria massoniella is sparsely scattered on sandy plains in a flat semi-arid region with a sparse covering of low succulent shrubs. From: Snijman, DA. 1994. Systematics of Hessea, Strumaria and Carpolyza (Amaryllideae:Amaryllidaceae). Contr. Bolus Herb. 16: 2-158. [All rights reserved]

On sandy plains. From: Snijman, DA. 2013. Amaryllidaceae. In: DA Snijman (ed.), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The Extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30: 33-42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

Distribution

West of Loeriesfontein towards Vaalputs in western Bushmanland. From: Snijman, DA. 1994. Systematics of Hessea, Strumaria and Carpolyza (Amaryllideae:Amaryllidaceae). Contr. Bolus Herb. 16: 2-158. [All rights reserved]

Vaalputs, Kliprand to Gifkop. From: Snijman, DA. 2013. Amaryllidaceae. In: DA Snijman (ed.), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The Extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30: 33-42. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

Flowering time

April to May

Altitude

0 to 1000 m

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

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Residence status

Occurrence in the Flora of Southern Africa (FSA) countries and South African provinces. Residence status indicates if a taxon is indigenous, endemic, naturalised or invasive in a specific region. This data is based on specimen records and literature

FSA

SA

BOT

NAM

ESW

LES

WC

EC

NC

FS

GA

KZN

LP

MP

NW

Absent

Indigenous

Endemic

Naturalised

Invasive

Names and Sources

Accepted name
Strumaria massoniella (D.Mull.-Doblies & U.Mull.-Doblies) Snijman

Published in: Contr. Bolus Herb. 16: 118 (1994)

Synonym(s)

Gemmaria massoniella D.Mull.-Doblies & U.Mull.-Doblies

Published in: Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 107(1-4): 33 (1985)


Classification

KINGDOM Plantae

SUBKINGDOM Phanerogamae

SUBGENUS Gemmaria

5 results for Strumaria massoniella (D.Mull.-Doblies & U.Mull.-Doblies) Snijman

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Specimen records

Barcode: PRE0670437-0 Collector(s) & number: Muller-Doblies, 80077C | 1980-8-10

General notes: Sandveld

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG0134753-0 Collector(s) & number: Schelpe, EACLE, 8218 | 1986-5-1

General notes: Very sandy flats. Flowers scented. Tepals pale pink with an olive-green median dorsal stripe, ageing to deep pink. Scape leaden-grey, wine red proximally. Leaves 2, adpressed to the ground, opposite. Adaxial surface and margin covered with minute white trichomes. Abaxial surface smooth. Outer fibrous bulb covering thin, tan -brown. Inner bulb scales cream -coloured.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG1547949-0 Collector(s) & number: Nel, I, s.n. | 1993-5-10

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0811844-0 Collector(s) & number: Schelpe, EACLE, 8218(cult) | --

General notes: Cultivated at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens from material collected. Flowered ex NBG 15/4/1987. Leaves ex NBG 12/8/1987 Det: D. Snijman

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: NBG0150715-0 Collector(s) & number: Duncan, GD, 258 | 1987-8-12

General notes: On left hand side of the road in deep sand. Leaves 2 spreading. Upper surface dull dark green; margin very shortly fringed towards apex. Base of undersurface slightly flushed with red. Leaves somewhat hump-backed.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Plant occurence records per dataset

Plant occurence records per year

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

iNaturalist: BODATSA: Data partners records:
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2016

BOOK

The Amaryllidaceae of southern Africa Duncan, GD

Umdaus Press, Pretoria

2013

SERIES CHAPTER

Amaryllidaceae Snijman, DA

In: DA Snijman (ed.), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 2: The Extra Cape flora. Strelitzia 30: 33-42

South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria

1994

PERIODICAL/JOURNAL

Systematics of Hessea, Strumaria and Carpolyza (Amaryllideae:Amaryllidaceae) Snijman, DA

Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 16: 2-158

No results found for Strumaria massoniella (D.Mull.-Doblies & U.Mull.-Doblies) Snijman

Status

Status and criteria

VU

Assessor(s)

Plantae Coordinator

Part(s) of plant used Use(s) Reference

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