Genus: Cyrtanthus

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Asparagales > Family: Amaryllidaceae 

Fifty-one species are native to southern Africa and there is a further species (Cyrtanthus welwitschii) occurring further north, its distribution including Angola and Malawi. Bulb contains non-lethal haemolytic saponin and alkaloids, and causes vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten.

Species native to southern Africa

List from Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI), Flora of Zimbabwe and Flora of Mozambique. The species name Cyrtanthus rhodesianus is of uncertain status and is not included in the list (see African Flowering Plants Database).

Cyrtanthus angustifolius (Fire lily)
Cyrtanthus attenuatus
Cyrtanthus aureolinus
Cyrtanthus bicolor
Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus (Dobo lily, Orange Ifafa lily)
Cyrtanthus brachysiphon
Cyrtanthus breviflorus (Yellow fire lily, Wild crocus)
Cyrtanthus carneus (Fire lily)
Cyrtanthus clavatus
Cyrtanthus collinus
Cyrtanthus contractus (Fire lily)
Cyrtanthus debilis
Cyrtanthus elatus
Cyrtanthus epiphyticus (Tree lily, Tree cyrtanthus)
Cyrtanthus erubescens
Cyrtanthus eucallus
Cyrtanthus falcatus (Fire lily)
Cyrtanthus fergusoniae
Cyrtanthus flammosus
Cyrtanthus flanaganii (Yellow dobo lily)
Cyrtanthus flavus
Cyrtanthus galpinii (Galpin's cyrtanthus, Fire lily)
Cyrtanthus guthrieae (Bredasdorp lily)
Cyrtanthus helictus
Cyrtanthus herrei
Cyrtanthus huttonii
Cyrtanthus inaequalis
Cyrtanthus labiatus
Cyrtanthus leptosiphon
Cyrtanthus leucanthus
Cyrtanthus loddigesianus
Cyrtanthus mackenii (Ifafa lily)
Cyrtanthus macmasteri
Cyrtanthus macowanii
Cyrtanthus montanus
Cyrtanthus nutans
Cyrtanthus obliquus (Giant cyrtanthus)
Cyrtanthus obrienii (Red Ifafa Lily)
Cyrtanthus ochroleucus
Cyrtanthus odorus
Cyrtanthus rotundilobus
Cyrtanthus sanguineus (Large red cyrtanthus, Inanda lily, Kei lily)
Cyrtanthus smithiae
Cyrtanthus spiralis
Cyrtanthus staadensis
Cyrtanthus stenanthus (Long-tubed cyrtanthus, Golden star)
Cyrtanthus suaveolens
Cyrtanthus thorncroftii
Cyrtanthus tuckii (Green-tipped fire lily)
Cyrtanthus ventricosus
Cyrtanthus wellandii

Publications

• Dyer, R.A. 1939. Description, classification and phylogeny. A revision of the genus Cyrtanthus. Herbertia 6: 65-103.

• Reid, C. & Dyer, R.A. 1984. A review of the southern African species of Cyrtanthus. American Plant Life Society, La Jolla, California.