Albuca


Albuca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. The genus is distributed mainly in southern and eastern Africa, with some species occurring in northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Plants of the genus are known commonly as slime lilies.

Description

These are perennial herbs growing from bulbs. The stem is sheathed in leaves with linear to strap-shaped blades. They can be 8 cm to well over 1 m long, and are flat or keeled. They are generally fleshy and sappy with a mucilaginous juice that inspired the common name "slime lilies". The flowers of some species are scented, especially at night. They are borne in racemes, usually slender, but flat-topped in some species. The flowers may be on stiff, or slender, nodding stalks, held erect or drooping. The six tepals are white to yellow, and each has a green or brown stripe down the centre. The outer three tepals spread open, while the inner three are connivent, curving inward so that the tips meet. There are six stamens, which have wings at the bases that wrap around the ovary at the centre of the flower. Some species have six fertile stamens, and in others the outer stamens are staminodes which do not produce pollen. The fruit is a rounded or oval three-lobed capsule containing shiny black seeds.
The three inner tepals can be closed firmly, raising the question of how pollinators might reach the stigma inside to deposit pollen. In a study of the interaction between pollinators and Albuca flowers, leafcutter bees were observed prying open the tepals and squeezing through to obtain the nectar inside. In the process, they left pollen on the tips of the tepals, where it absorbed fluid, germinated, and fertilized ovules. This was the first known case of flower petals performing the function of the stigma. The only thing even distantly similar is Lacandonia schismatica where the pollen tube travels down the stamen, across the base and up the pistils to pollinate from below.

Systematics

The genus is circumscribed in two ways. The traditional genus Albuca is a monophyletic group of about 60 known species, and possibly about 100 in total. Other authorities have considered Albuca in a wider sense, including such genera as Stellarioides, Coilonox, Trimelopter, and Battandiera, with a total of 110 to 180 very heterogeneous species; All of these genera, including Albuca, have also been lumped together in Ornithogalum at times, but molecular phylogenetics studies support their separation.

Species

The genus, as defined in the Plants of the World Online database, contains 167 accepted species.Albuca abyssinica Jacq. – Tropical & S. Africa, S.W. Arabian PeninsulaAlbuca acuminata Baker – Namibia to W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca adlami Baker – Northern Province Albuca albucoides J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca amboensis Oberm. – Namibia to BotswanaAlbuca amoena J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – N.W. SaharaAlbuca anisocrispa Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – E. Cape ProvinceAlbuca annulata Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – Eastern Cape ProvinceAlbuca arenosa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca aurea Jacq. – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca autumnula J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca bakeri Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca barbata J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca batteniana Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – S. Cape Province – wild coast albuca Albuca bifolia Baker – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca bifoliata R.A.Dyer – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca boucheri U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca bracteata J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – E. Cape Province to KwaZulu-NatalAlbuca bruce-bayeri U.Müll.-Doblies – Cape ProvinceAlbuca buchananii Baker – S. Tropical AfricaAlbuca buffelspoortensis van Jaarsv. – Western CapeAlbuca canadensis F.M.Leight. – Cape ProvinceAlbuca candida J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca caudata Jacq. – S.E. Cape ProvinceAlbuca chartacea J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Eastern Cape ProvinceAlbuca chlorantha Welw. ex Baker – AngolaAlbuca ciliaris U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca clanwilliamae-gloria U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca collina Baker – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca concordiana Baker – Namibia to Cape ProvinceAlbuca consanguinea J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca cooperi Baker – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca corymbosa Baker – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca costatula J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca craibii J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – North-West ProvinceAlbuca cremnophila van Jaarsv. & A.E.van Wyk – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca crinifolia Baker – KwaZulu-NatalAlbuca crispa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. Cape Province to Free stateAlbuca crudenii Archibald – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca dalyae Baker – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca darlingana U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca deaconii van Jaarsv. – KwaZulu-NatalAlbuca decipiens U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca deserticola J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca dilucula J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca dinteri U.Müll.-Doblies – NamibiaAlbuca donaldsonii Rendle – Ethiopia to TanzaniaAlbuca dyeri J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca echinosperma U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca engleriana K.Krause & Dinter – NamibiaAlbuca etesiogaripensis U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to N.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca exigua J.C.Manning – Eastern CapeAlbuca fastigiata Dryand. – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca fibrotunicata Gledhill & Oyewole – Niger to CameroonAlbuca flaccida Jacq. – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca foetida U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca fragrans Jacq. – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca gageoides K.Krause – NamibiaAlbuca galeata Welw. ex Baker – AngolaAlbuca gariepensis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – N. Cape ProvinceAlbuca gentilii De Wild. – ZaïreAlbuca gethylloides J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca gildenhuysii van Jaarsv. - N.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca glandulifera J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca glandulosa Baker – Cape ProvinceAlbuca glauca Baker – Northern ProvinceAlbuca glaucifolia J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca goswinii U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca grandiflora Mart.-Azorín, M.B.Crespo & M.Á.Alonso – NE SudanAlbuca grandis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Western Cape ProvinceAlbuca hallii U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca hereroensis Schinz – NamibiaAlbuca hesquaspoortensis U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca heydenrychii van Jaarsv. – Limpopo ProvinceAlbuca homblei De Wild. – ZaïreAlbuca humilis Baker – Free State to KwaZulu-NatalAlbuca juncifolia Baker – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca karachabpoortensis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca karasbergensis Glover – NamibiaAlbuca karooica U.Müll.-Doblies – Namibia to Cape ProvinceAlbuca katangensis De Wild. – S. ZaïreAlbuca kirkii Brenan – Kenya to S. Tropical AfricaAlbuca kirstenii J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca knersvlaktensis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca kundelungensis De Wild. – ZaïreAlbuca lebaensis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – AngolaAlbuca leucantha U.Müll.-Doblies – N.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca littoralis J.C.Manning – KwaZulu-NatalAlbuca longipes Baker – Cape ProvinceAlbuca macowanii Baker – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca malangensis Baker – AngolaAlbuca massonii Baker – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca monarchos J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca monophylla Baker – Angola to NamibiaAlbuca myogaloides Welw. ex Baker – AngolaAlbuca namaquensis Baker – Namibia to Cape ProvinceAlbuca nana Schönland – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca nathoana J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca navicula U.Müll.-Doblies – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca nelsonii N.E.Br. – E. Cape Province to KwaZulu-Natal – Nelson's slime lilyAlbuca nigritana Troupin – W. Tropical Africa to RwandaAlbuca obtusa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca orientalis van Jaarsv. – Eastern and Western Cape ProvincesAlbuca osmynella J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca ovata J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca papyracea J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca paradoxa Dinter – Namibia to W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca paucifolia J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca pearsonii J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca pendula B.Mathew – S.W. Saudi ArabiaAlbuca pendulina J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca pentheri J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca polyodontula J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca polyphylla Baker – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca prasina J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. AfricaAlbuca prolifera J.H.Wilson – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca psammophora J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca pseudobifolia Mart.-Azorín & M.B.Crespo – Eastern Cape ProvinceAlbuca pulchra J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Angola to BotswanaAlbuca rautanenii J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca recurva J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca riebeekkasteelberganula U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca robertsoniana U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca rogersii Schönland – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca roodeae J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca rupestris Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – KwaZulu-NatalAlbuca sabulosa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca scabrocostata J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca scabromarginata De Wild. – ZaïreAlbuca schinzii Baker – NamibiaAlbuca schlechteri Baker – Northern Cape ProvinceAlbuca schoenlandii Baker – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca secunda J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca seineri J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – S. AfricaAlbuca semipedalis Baker – Cape ProvinceAlbuca setosa Jacq. – Cape Province to KwaZulu-NatalAlbuca shawii Baker – S. AfricaAlbuca somersetianum – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca spiralis L.f. – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca stapffii J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca steudneri Schweinf. & Engl. – E. SudanAlbuca strigosula J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca stuetzeliana J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to N.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca suaveolens J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to Cape ProvinceAlbuca subglandulosa J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca subspicata Baker – AngolaAlbuca sudanica A.Chev. – W. Tropical Africa to Sahara and W. SudanAlbuca tenuifolia Baker – S. Cape ProvinceAlbuca tenuis Knudtzon – Central Ethiopia to KenyaAlbuca thermarum van Jaarsv. – Cape ProvinceAlbuca tortuosa Baker – E. Cape ProvinceAlbuca trachyphylla U.Müll.-Doblies – N.W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca tubiformis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – NamibiaAlbuca unifolia J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Namibia to Free StateAlbuca unifoliata G.D.Rowley – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca variegata De Wild. – ZaïreAlbuca villosa U.Müll.-Doblies – S.W. Namibia to W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca virens J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Eritrea to S. AfricaAlbuca viscosa L.f. – Namibia to W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca vittata Ker Gawl. – Cape ProvinceAlbuca volubilis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – W. MadagascarAlbuca watermeyeri J.C.Manning & Goldblatt – Cape ProvinceAlbuca weberlingiorum U.Müll.-Doblies – Cape ProvinceAlbuca xanthocodon Hilliard & B.L.Burtt – Mpumalanga to S.E. Cape ProvinceAlbuca yerburyi Ridl. – YemenAlbuca zebrina Baker – W. Cape ProvinceAlbuca zenkeri Engl. – Cameroon

Cultivation

The most popular species is Albuca nelsonii, which is evergreen and not frost-hardy. Such species are best suited to temperate areas, but can be grown in a conservatory or greenhouse, or in a sheltered position if light frosts might occur. However, some other species from alpine or Karoo-like areas are fairly frost-resistant and may be deciduous, and accordingly can stand a good deal of frost once established. Some are winter-flowering. As a rule they do well in full sun in light, free-draining soil. Propagation is from offsets or seed.