Freesia
Freesia is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese. It is native to the eastern side of southern Africa, from Kenya south to South Africa, most species being found in Cape Provinces. Species of the former genus Anomatheca are now included in Freesia. The plants commonly known as "freesias", with fragrant funnel-shaped flowers, are cultivated hybrids of a number of Freesia species. Some other species are also grown as ornamental plants.
Description
They are herbaceous plants which grow from a conical corm diameter, which sends up a tuft of narrow leaves long, and a sparsely branched stem tall bearing a few leaves and a loose one-sided spike of flowers with six petals. Many species have fragrant narrowly funnel-shaped flowers, although those formerly placed in the genus Anomatheca, such as F. laxa, have flat flowers.Freesias are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the large yellow underwing.
Systematics
The genus was named in honor of Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese, a German physician.; SpeciesFreesia andersoniae L.Bolus - the Cape Provinces, Free StateFreesia caryophyllacea N.E.Br. - Heuningrug region in the Cape ProvincesFreesia corymbosa N.E.Br. - the Cape ProvincesFreesia fergusoniae L.Bolus - the Cape ProvincesFreesia fucata J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Hoeks River Valley in the Cape ProvincesFreesia grandiflora Klatt - Zaire, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, northeastern South Africa Freesia laxa Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - from Rwanda + Kenya south to the Cape Provinces; naturalized in Madeira, Mauritius, Réunion, Australia, Florida, ArgentinaFreesia leichtlinii Klatt - the Cape Provinces; naturalized in Corsica, California, Florida, ArgentinaFreesia marginata J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - the Cape ProvincesFreesia occidentalis L.Bolus - the Cape ProvincesFreesia praecox J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - the Cape ProvincesFreesia refracta Klatt - the Cape Provinces; naturalized in France, Canary Islands, Madeira, Bermuda, St. HelenaFreesia sparrmanii N.E.Br. - Langeberg in the Cape ProvincesFreesia speciosa L.Bolus - the Cape ProvincesFreesia verrucosa Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - the Cape ProvincesFreesia viridis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Namibia, the Cape Provinces
Species of the former genus Anomatheca are now included in Freesia:Anomatheca cruenta Lindl. = Freesia laxa subsp. laxaAnomatheca grandiflora Baker = Freesia grandifloraAnomatheca juncea Ker Gawl. = Freesia verrucosaAnomatheca laxa Goldblatt = Freesia laxaAnomatheca verrucosa Goldblatt = Freesia verrucosaAnomatheca viridis Goldblatt = Freesia viridisAnomatheca xanthospila Ker Gawl. = ''Freesia caryophyllacea''
Cultivation and uses
The plants usually called "freesias" in horticulture and floristry are derived from crosses made in the 19th century between Freesia refracta and Freesia leichtlinii. Numerous cultivars have been bred from these species and the pink- and yellow-flowered forms of Freesia corymbosa. Modern tetraploid cultivars have flowers ranging from white to yellow, pink, red and blue-mauve. They are mostly cultivated professionally in the Netherlands by about 80 growers. Freesias can be readily increased from seed. Due to their specific and pleasing scent, they are often used in hand creams, shampoos, candles, etc.; however, the flowers themselves are mainly used in wedding bouquets.Freesia laxa is one of the other species of the genus which is commonly cultivated. Smaller than the scented freesia cultivars, it has flat rather than cup-shaped flowers.